Bankman-Fried's Defense Team Argues DOJ For 'Super-Villain' Portrayal, Seeks Lenient Sentence

The defense team for Sam Bankman-Fried has openly criticized the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent sentencing memorandum, labeling it as unnecessarily harsh and misrepresentative of Bankman-Fried’s character. 

What Happened: In a response letter filed on Tuesday, the team stated, “The memorandum distorts reality to support its precious ‘loss’ narrative and casts Sam as a depraved super-villain.” 

The defense contends that the portrayal of Bankman-Fried by the DOJ “attributes to him dark and megalomaniacal motives that fly in the face of the record.” They argue that the government’s approach is not rooted in justice, pointing to a recommendation they consider equates to a life sentence.

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Why It Matters: Last week, federal prosecutors requested that District Judge Lewis Kaplan sentence the former FTX CEO to a term of between 40 and 50 years, branding him as motivated by greed and unhelpful in resolving FTX’s bankruptcy situation. The government’s case included Word documents written by Bankman-Fried, statements from affected FTX customers, and additional materials.

Bankman-Fried appealed to court on Tuesday in February for a reduced prison sentence following his fraud conviction. The defense team suggests that a "just sentence" would be based on "zero loss," leading to a proposed sentence range of 63-78 months. 

Meanwhile, earlier this month, an image has shed light on the current appearance of Bankman-Fried, displaying him with a group of five fellow detainees.

The photo, released by cryptocurrency influencer Tiffany Fong, features SBF looking slimmer and with the beginnings of a beard while standing in the company of other inmates. According to Fong’s interview with a previous inmate, G Lock, the photo was reportedly snapped on December 17.

SBF is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York. Reports have emerged from the detention center regarding his activities, including his involvement in the in-house ‘mackerel economy’ and conversations with some guards about cryptocurrency.

Price Action: At the time of writing, the price of Bitcoin BTC/USD was $61,799 down 6.71% in the last 24 hours, according to Benzinga Pro.

Photo by lev radin on Shutterstock

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