Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has firmly rejected allegations of witness tampering after sharing extracts from his ex-girlfriend Caroline Ellison’s personal diary with a reporter from the New York Instances.
This denial comes as federal prosecutors search to revoke his bail, claiming the diary leak and different communications point out SBF has improperly tried to affect Ellison, a key witness within the high-profile FTX fraud case.
In a strongly-worded letter to Decide Lewis Kaplan filed on Aug. 1, legal professionals for SBF contend he was performing inside his Constitutional rights by providing commentary to the press. They assert his intention in contacting the reporter was to answer an current story already in progress and shield his fame fairly than improperly sway the trial.
The protection crew argues that the prosecution has taken numerous info out of context, like SBF’s use of encrypted messaging purposes, to painting his actions unfairly negatively. The protection claims a disputed communication with a former FTX lawyer was genuinely about aiding with chapter proceedings, not stealth witness tampering as alleged.
SBF’s counsel additionally rejects the prosecution’s rationale for detaining their consumer as extraordinarily flimsy, reliant on assumptions, innuendo, and inadequate proof. The letter states,
“The Authorities’s proffered factual foundation to revoke Mr. Bankman-Fried’s bail is extraordinarily skinny and depends closely on assumptions, unsupported inferences, and innuendo.”
SBF’s authorized crew posits the controversial NY Instances article containing extracts from Ellison’s diary finally portrayed her sympathetically whereas being unfavorable to SBF – the other of the prosecution’s assertion he was in search of to intimidate her.
The protection factors out that revoking bail would make making ready for the immensely complicated FTX fraud trial virtually inconceivable for SBF, given the lack of pc and web entry wanted to evaluate many tens of millions of paperwork concerned within the case. In its place, they suggest the least restrictive choice is for the decide to impose a gag order proscribing extrajudicial statements.
This newest back-and-forth over witness contact and press commentary comes amid intense public scrutiny because the high-stakes FTX case progresses. Together with his trial quick approaching, debates across the extent of SBF’s allowable actions whereas on bail appear set to persist.
For now, SBF stays on bail underneath strict situations. Nonetheless, the extreme nature of the legal fees he faces seems to be spurring prosecutors to advocate for his detention earlier than the trial commences. As each side vigorously defend their stance to the decide, the letter highlights how contentious the fraud proceedings might develop into.
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