Judge denies motion allowing SBF to use messaging apps

2 years ago

The justice did not supply a crushed for denying the question “without prejudice” but added the substance would look oral statement successful a Feb. 9 hearing.

Judge denies question  allowing SBF to usage  messaging apps

Own this portion of past

Collect this nonfiction arsenic an NFT

A national justice has denied a associated statement betwixt Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried’s ineligible squad and prosecutors that would person allowed the erstwhile FTX CEO to usage definite messaging apps.

In a Feb. 7 filing for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Lewis Kaplan denied a question proposing Bankman-Fried beryllium allowed to usage messaging services, including FaceTime, Zoom and Facebook Messenger. The justice did not supply a crushed for denying the question “without prejudice” but added the substance would beryllium taxable to oral arguments successful a Feb. 9 hearing.

Prosecutors filed a question successful January suggesting the erstwhile FTX CEO not beryllium permitted to usage “any encrypted oregon ephemeral telephone oregon messaging application” arsenic a information of his bail pursuing allegations of contacting witnesses. Judge Kaplan ruled connected Feb. 1 that SBF was barred from contacting FTX and Alameda employees utilizing the Signal app, citing a hazard of “inappropriate interaction with prospective witnesses.”

However, national prosecutors discussed modifying the bail information with Bankman-Fried’s lawyers, which would person allowed him to entree FaceTime, Zoom, iMessage, SMS text, email and Facebook Messenger. The erstwhile FTX CEO would besides person been allowed to usage WhatsApp if “monitoring exertion is installed connected his cellphone that automatically logs and preserves each WhatsApp communications.”

Authorities alleged Bankman-Fried had attempted to power witnesses based connected communications uncovered betwixt SBF and FTX US wide counsel Ryne Miller and existent FTX CEO John Ray. The Feb. 1 ruling does not let communications betwixt SBF and existent oregon erstwhile employees of FTX oregon Alameda Research “except successful the beingness of counsel.”

Related: SBF’s $250M bail guarantors should beryllium made public, rules judge

Bankman-Fried was arrested successful December and charged with 8 transgression counts, including ligament fraud successful the Southern District of New York. His proceedings is scheduled to statesman successful October, portion FTX’s bankruptcy lawsuit is ongoing successful the District of Delaware. SBF remains nether location apprehension astatine his parents’ California home, permitted to permission lone for sanctioned events, including tribunal appearances.

View source