Inside The Horrible New York Jail Where SBF is Held Ahead of His Trial

After Judge Lewis Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York revoked Sam Bankman-Fried’s (SBF) bail on Friday, August 11, the former CEO and disgraced founder of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has spent three nights at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn).

Unfortunately for SBF, MDC Brooklyn is considered one of the worst prisons in New York City and is infamous for its horrible conditions and inmate maltreatment. Judge Kaplan acknowledged that the detention center “is not on anybody’s list of five-star facilities.”

SBF Detained at MDC Brooklyn

Federal prosecutors sought to reverse SBF’s $250 million bail in July after he attempted to tamper with witnesses. At the time of the request, the FTX founder was under house arrest at his parent’s $4 million home in Palo Alto, California.

The Department of Justice pushed to revoke the bail because SBF’s activities, including using a virtual private network to conceal his internet activities, violated his bail conditions. The 31-year-old former CEO also reached out to FTX’s general counsel, suggesting that they become resourceful to each other.

To crown it all, he leaked the private writings of Caroline Ellison, his ex-girlfriend and former CEO of FTX sister trading firm Alameda Research, to a New York Times reporter. As per the Justice Department’s accusations, SBF attempted to cast Ellison in a negative light to make her look like a jilted lover, thereby discrediting her as a witness in his upcoming trial.

One of the Worst Prisons in NYC

Following the hearing Friday, SBF was moved to MDC Brooklyn, a U.S. federal administrative detention facility housing both male and female prisoners of all security levels. Originally built to accommodate 1,000 inmates, the center houses more than 1,600 prisoners.

Lawyers have complained about overflowing toilets, plastic in inmates’ meals, and contaminated water, amongst other horrific living conditions at the MDC. On one occasion during winter in 2019, inmates suffered days without heat, electricity, and hot meals due to a power outage. Prisoners who protested the conditions were pepper sprayed, thrown in solitary confinement, and had their toilets shut down.

The MDC has held high-profile individuals like American singer cum convicted sex offender R. Kelly, child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, and American rapper Fetty Wap.

Meanwhile, SBF’s lawyers disclosed their intent to appeal Judge Kaplan’s decision.

Featured Image Courtesy of The Intercept