Judge Denies Immediate Release for Sam Bankman-Fried
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, presiding over the case involving the U.S. government and former chief of the defunct FTX exchange, Sam Bankman-Fried, has issued an order denying Bankman-Fried’s request for “immediate release.” This order was issued on September 6, as per the files from CourtListener.
Referral to the Next Available Three-Judge Panel
Judge Kaplan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has referred Sam Bankman-Fried’s motion for “pretrial release” to the next available three-judge panel.
Upcoming Trial and Charges
Bankman-Fried’s trial is scheduled to begin on October 3. He is facing seven charges, including wire fraud, securities and commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and illegal political finance charges. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Inaccuracies in Government’s Factual Statement
In a separate order released yesterday, Judge Kaplan has requested Bankman-Fried’s lawyers to submit a letter by September 8 to report any inaccuracies in the government’s factual statements. This pertains to a joint letter sent by the government on Tuesday.
Reviewing Discovery Material in Jail
The letter submitted by Bankman-Fried’s lawyers describes the conditions of computer and internet access he has in the Brooklyn jail for reviewing the case’s discovery material.
Bail Revoked and Defense Team’s Appeal
Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail was revoked in mid-August due to witness tampering concerns. Since then, his defense team has appealed for his release, arguing that his detention is impeding his Sixth Amendment right to work on his own defense.
Contradictory Claims on Access to Laptop
The government claimed on September 5 that Bankman-Fried had sufficient access to a laptop to review discovery materials at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. However, Bankman-Fried’s lawyer, Mark Cohen, refuted these claims in a letter.
Judge’s Request for Reporting Inaccurate Statements
In one of the orders issued by Judge Kaplan, he has asked Bankman-Fried’s defense team to report any inaccurate statements in the government’s claims.
Hot Take
The legal battle surrounding Sam Bankman-Fried’s case continues as Judge Kaplan denies his request for immediate release. With the trial approaching, the defense team and the government are engaged in disputes over factual statements and access to materials. The outcome of this high-profile case will have significant implications for the crypto community and the future regulation of the industry.
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