On September 27, the U.S. government submitted a letter to Judge Lewis Kaplan expressing its opposition to a motion by Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) and his legal team requesting temporary release from prison prior to his trial, scheduled for October 3. The judge is set to hear arguments from both sides regarding this matter.
In their filing, the government firmly urged Judge Kaplan to reject SBF's request, emphasizing that the defendant's alleged inability to participate effectively in his own defense did not outweigh the risks associated with his release. These risks are primarily described as potential dangers to the community and the risk of flight.
The government also highlighted that SBF's motion essentially reiterates a general claim previously addressed by the court in two previous rejections of similar requests. The first denial was on September 12, based on various factors, including SBF's extensive access to electronic evidence over several months before his bail was revoked just before trial. The second rejection occurred on September 21 when an appeals court panel found SBF's arguments "unpersuasive" and affirmed probable cause to believe he attempted to tamper with witnesses, a charge related to his case.
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX and Alameda Research, faces seven fraud-related charges in his upcoming October trial, with five additional counts scheduled for a separate trial in March 2024. SBF has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
