According to a court filing on August 22, Judge Lewis Kaplan of the US District Court has granted permission for Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, to meet with his lawyers outside his jail cell. This decision comes after SBF’s lawyers requested that he be allowed to spend time out of jail during weekdays in order to collaborate more effectively with his defense team in preparation for his trial, scheduled for October.
The court order specifies that the meeting between SBF and his lawyers will take place in the Marshal’s cell block attorney room, allowing for face-to-face consultations. These meetings are subject to limited hours, generally from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Furthermore, Judge Kaplan has allowed SBF’s legal team to bring one internet-enabled laptop and one WiFi device into the courthouse for these meetings, facilitating digital communication and research during discussions.
This development follows SBF’s recent incarceration on August 11, although he had been under house arrest at his parent’s residence since December 2022. While on house arrest, he faced strict limitations on internet access. Notably, on April 6, reports indicated that SBF had a limited window of time to acquire a new mobile phone without internet access. His laptop was also confined to accessing only websites pre-approved by US prosecutors, demonstrating the level of control over his online interactions.
SBF requests
However, the court’s decision to allow off-cell meetings and digital devices is accompanied by a refusal to grant other requests made by SBF’s legal representatives. The filing explicitly states, “The balance of the request for August 22 is denied,” indicating that while some concessions have been granted, others have been declined.
The context for these legal proceedings involves accusations of witness tampering against SBF. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) requested a revocation of SBF’s bail conditions and his subsequent incarceration after reports emerged suggesting that he engaged in witness tampering. Specifically, SBF allegedly leaked private journals belonging to his former girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, to the New York Times. This act was deemed an attempt to intimidate and influence Ellison, who plays a pivotal role as a key prosecution witness. Prior to FTX’s collapse, Ellison had been a prominent figure in the trading company Alameda Research.
The DOJ’s court filing on July 28 detailed their stance that his release of Ellison’s private writings was an endeavor to corruptly persuade her and undermine her forthcoming trial testimony.
