The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a court motion to revoke the bail of Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) on charges of attempting to tamper with witnesses and leaking information to The New York Times. According to a court filing on July 28 , the DOJ cited that SBF, who was released on bond on December 22, 2022, had made multiple requests for revisions to the bond. The court documents revealed that on January 15, 2023, SBF contacted FTX US's current general counsel via email and the encrypted messaging app Signal, expressing a desire to reconnect and explore the possibility of a constructive relationship. The court expressed concern about the potential risk of witness tampering due to SBF's conduct, including his use of Signal for obstructive purposes , as the app automatically removes messages .
Former SEC Office of Internet Enforcement director John Reed Stark mentioned that Judge Lewis Kaplan has various options in responding to SBF's actions. Judge Kaplan could potentially view SBF's actions as improperly influencing a witness and decide to modify the conditions of his bail further or revoke the bail entirely. The judge is facing a difficult decision in the case, and if SBF is allowed to remain free, he may repeat his previous warning.
The matter was discussed during a July 26 hearing in Manhattan court, where US Attorney Danielle Sassoon sought to have SBF's bail revoked. Sassoon accused SBF of using his freedom to intimidate his former lover and colleague, Lynn Ellison, by making ab out 100 calls to new York Times reporters. In a July 20 complaint, the Justice Department also accused SBF of leaking Ellison's diaries, which were considered personal writings of government witnesses, with the alleged intent of publicly discrediting her.
The DOJ's written opinion came after the July 26 hearing, raising concerns about potential witness tampering and obstruction of justice. The court's decision on how to proceed with SBF's bail will have significant implications for the ongoing case.
