Disgraced FTX Co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried Makes Unusual Request Ahead Of Trial

FTX's co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried is seeking a unique arrangement for his current confinement.

Bankman-Fried hopes to secure a conditional release allowing him to collaborate with his legal counsel on his case in Manhattan five days a week, according to Bloomberg. 

Bankman-Fried's bail of $250 million was rescinded after allegations surfaced about potential interference with witnesses. Lawyers for the disgraced investor said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan that, from his current location at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, Bankman-Fried is finding it difficult to sift through extensive documentation related to his case.

Bankman-Fried's attorney, Christian Everdell, emphasized to the judge the recent receipt of a massive amount of Slack messages, which Bankman-Fried is reportedly struggling to review for his upcoming trial in October.

Despite facing accusations of masterminding a prolonged fraudulent operation, which allegedly allowed him to divert vast sums from FTX's clientele, Bankman-Fried has maintained his innocence.

Also Read: Bankman-Fried's Move To Jail Sparks Strong Reactions On X: 'Hope You Enjoy Prison'

Yet, prosecutors are questioning Bankman-Fried's hesitancy to share comprehensive details related to his defense that his actions were based on lawyers' advice, Bloomberg noted. 

While authorities have proposed transferring essential documents to hard drives for Bankman-Fried's perusal at MDC, they've reportedly expressed reservations about transferring all of the data to a singular laptop. An earlier proposal by prosecutors to relocate Bankman-Fried to a less populated facility where he could use an internet-equipped laptop was met with opposition from prison officials, Bloomberg reported.

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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