Jailed Sam Bankman-Fried can't prepare for trial on a diet of bread, water and peanut butter: lawyers
financialpost.comNEW YORK — FTX Trading Ltd. founder Sam Bankman-Fried can’t adequately prepare for trial in six weeks while in jail without proper access to computers, necessary medications to help him concentrate and a better diet than bread, water and peanut butter, his lawyers told a magistrate judge Aug. 22.
The lawyers made their complaints at a Manhattan Federal Court hearing after Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to seven charges he’ll face at his Oct. 3 trial, including wire fraud and multiple conspiracy counts.
Bankman-Fried was extradited from the Bahamas in December after prosecutors said he stole billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits, spending tens of millions on his businesses, speculative venture investments, charitable donations and on illegal campaign contributions aimed at influencing cryptocurrency regulation in Washington.
The 31-year-old California man was making his first court appearance in a drab beige prison uniform since his US$250-million bail was revoked 10 days ago by Judge Lewis Kaplan. The judge had granted a request by prosecutors to jail him after agreeing that the fallen cryptocurrency whiz had repeatedly tried to influence witnesses against him.
Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, presiding over Tuesday’s hearing, told Bankman-Fried’s attorneys that she would not overrule Kaplan’s rulings about access to computers, but that she would see if she could get the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to provide medications and a diet more closely aligned to the defendant’s vegan preferences.
Attorney Mark Cohen told Netburn that Bankman-Fried hadn’t received medication that’s necessary for him to focus since he was sent to jail on Aug. 12.
He said his client continued to be served a “flesh diet,”
Read more on financialpost.com
