Judge revokes Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail, sends him to jail

Judge Lewis Kaplan has revoked former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail.
The judge has also denied the defence’s request to delay Bankman-Fried’s detention pending appeal.
Bankman-Fried, whose criminal trial begins on October 2, will be jailed at Putnam.

Judge Lewis Kaplan has revoked the bail granted to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, and ordered his detention after a hearing over alleged witness tampering. CNBC reported the development on Friday.

Judge sands Bankman-Fried to jail

Judge Kaplan on Friday ruled in favour of a motion filed by federal prosecutors after the government complained about Bankman-Fried’s potential to tamper with both witnesses and the jury in his upcoming criminal trial.

In denying the defendant’s plea for a delayed detention ahead of an appeal, Judge Kaplan said that SBF had tried to interfere with witnesses on at least two occasions.

Bankman-Fried is to be remanded at the Putnam jail pending his appeal and ahead of the October 2 trial. Prosecutors said the ex-FTX chief will have access to the internet at the facility as he prepares his defence, which would not be the case at MDC that is closest to the court but offers limited internet access.

Inner City has reported that defence lawyers already filed an appeal.

SBF appeal of remand to jail filed less than an hour after handcuffs, $505 filing fee paid – Inner City Press will follow the appeal in the Second Circuit, too https://t.co/YF01ftwGhX pic.twitter.com/aOsit518gR

— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) August 11, 2023

As CoinJournal highlighted in July, prosecution had sought to have Bankman-Fried’s bail amended or revoked following instances of alleged witness tampering. The latest involved complaints that SBF had leaked the private diary of his former colleague and now star federal witness Caroline Alison to a New York Times reporter.

According to the government, the disgraced ex-billionaire’s goal was to discredit Alison and possibly affect the jurors. During the last hearing, Judge Kaplan had warned Bankman-Fried about his behaviour, noting the bail could be revoked.