Sam Bankman-Fried, the ex-CEO of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency company FTX, is facing a rocky path ahead of his October trial, since his bail has been revoked. On a recent Friday, US District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan made this pronouncement.
One of the key drivers for this development is the significant accusation that Bankman-Fried leaked Caroline Ellison's personal diary to the New York Times. Ellison previously served as CEO of FTX's investment arm, Alameda Research.
Bankman-Fried's legal problems do not stop here. He is being investigated for a slew of charges, some of which have been leveled by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. These accusations include, among other things, misleading FTX investors. Despite the weight of the allegations, Bankman-Fried maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all U.S. criminal charges earlier this year.
The former FTX CEO had first requested access to Google Drive, arguing that it would be useful in the discovery process. However, it seems that his motives were not fully sincere. During a subsequent hearing, Assistant US Attorney Danielle Sassoon said that Bankman-Fried used this access to transmit secret papers from Ellison to the New York Times.
Bankman-Fried's actions was not the only source of worry in the courtroom. A little more than a week after the New York Times published the piece based on Ellison's journal, Judge Kaplan placed limitations on Bankman-Fried, barring him from disclosing any information about his continuing lawsuit.
Prior to this setback, Bankman-Fried was under house arrest at his parents' Palo Alto home, on a $250 million bail. This incarceration started after his arrest in December 2022. He is presently in deep trouble for allegedly threatening witnesses, including Ellison. In light of these developments, Judge Kaplan stated that a simple gag order was insufficient. He said that Bankman-Fried had crossed a line of permissible conduct. As a result, he is likely to be detained in The Metropolitan Detention Center, which is not among the most comfortable facilities. Nonetheless, Kaplan said that Bankman-Fried may be allowed to use a specialized laptop for a large chunk of the day, ranging from nine to eleven hours, while jailed in the Brooklyn-based jail.
Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang, co-founder of FTX, have both admitted culpability in this continuing scandal. Both have pled guilty to a variety of offences, and in an effort to obtain mercy, they have accepted plea deals that would offer them with reduced terms in exchange for their cooperation with US law enforcement authorities.
More developments and surprises are expected as this story progresses. The procedures and results involving the former FTX CEO and other people will be keenly observed by stakeholders and the general public.
