SBF’s Lawyer Pleaded U.S Judge Not to Restrict Contacts

• Fed Prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge to prohibit Bankman-Fried from interacting with FTX staff. 
• Sam Bankman Fried’s lawyer pleaded U.S. judge not to restrict the SBF to contact former colleagues.

Following Federal Prosecutors asked U.S. district judge Lewis Kaplan to modify the terms of the Sam Bankman-Fried bond agreement. SBF’s lawyer pleaded U.S. judge not to restrict the cryptocurrency exchange FTX executive’s ability to contact former colleagues as a condition of his release on bail. 

According to a 27th January filing, Prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge to prohibit Bankman-Fried from interacting with current or former FTX or Alameda Research hedge fund staff, aside from family, unless a lawyer is present. It was concerning that the former crypto exchange FTX CEO SBF may engage in “witness tampering” or destroy proof in his criminal case by sending a message to a possible witness. 

Also, Prosecutors highlighted Bankman-Fried’s recent attempts to contact prospective witnesses, which he sent a message on January 15, 2023. Sam Bankman-Fried contacted witness 1 over the encrypted messaging application signal and stated;

I would really love to reconnect and see if there’s a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other.

Sam Bankman-Fried Attorney Request

FTX’s SBF has been free on a $250 million bail on December 22, 2022. Still, Bankman-Fried is pleading not guilty to fraud charges against the transfer of billions of dollars from the bankrupt FTX. While Alameda Research’s former CEO, Caroline Ellison, admitted on 19th December that they misled the lender. 

However, after the Fed Prosecutors’ petition, Sam Bankman Fried’s lawyer pleaded U.S. judge not to restrict the FTX executive’s ability to contact former colleagues on January 28, 2023. Also, he claimed that prosecutors unexpectedly imposed the “overbroad” bail restrictions without disclosing that the two parties had been debating bond over the previous week.

Further, Fed Prosecutors’ requested that Bankman-Fried stop using signal and other private call and messaging services, even though he was permitted to interact by text, email, and phone.