Voyager Digital subpoenas SBF and others from FTX and Alameda

• Voyager Digital has subpoenaed several executives from FTX and Alameda, including Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison.
• The bankrupt crypto lender’s lawyers have requested documents related to communication between FTX and the SEC.

Bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital has served subpoenas to several FTX executives and its sister firm, Alameda Research. These executives include founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, former Alameda chief Caroline Ellison, FTX co-founder Gary Wang and the exchange’s head of product, Ramnik Arora. 

Communication between FTX and SEC requested in subpoena

According to a court filing on 6 February, lawyers representing Voyager Digital have requested copies of a series of documents that involve communications between FTX, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Justice. The subpoena also included a request for documents related to Caroline Ellsion and Gary Wang’s admissions.  

Noting current CEO John Ray’s statements that FTX-Related Entities “use[d] software to conceal the misuse of customer funds,” and “the FTX Group did not keep appropriate books and records,” the lawyers have asked for proof of the same.

The subpoenas also covered information relating to the loan portfolio between Alameda and Voyager, as well as FTX’s financial condition before and after it filed for bankruptcy on November 11, 2022.

Notably, the subpoena asked for:

“The FTX-Related Entities’ trading logs related in any way to the FTT token in or between March 2022 and November 11, 2022, and the FTX-Related Entities’ Communications related in any way to influence the price of such token.”

Judge appoints fee examiner in Voyager’s bankruptcy case

Additionally, U.S. bankruptcy judge Michael Wiles has announced that he will appoint a fee examiner to look at professional fees in Voyager’s Chapter 11 case. Judge Wiles noted that the fees incurred within the bankruptcy case are higher than expected and a fee examiner will be beneficial.

However, he also noted that the examiner could end up costing the estate more than it would be able to save in other professional fees, and recommended a cap on the examiner’s fees.