Key Takeaways
- U.S. lawyer Damian Williams needs Sam Bankman-Fried’s use of cellphones, tablets, computer systems, and the web to be severely restricted.
- Bankman-Fried not too long ago used a VPN on two events; he additionally used Sign to contact a former worker.
- Williams argues that Bankman-Fried is just too computer-savvy to be granted Web entry whereas on bail.
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Since he’s so prepared to bypass his bail circumstances, Sam Bankman-Fried needs to be minimize off solely from the web whereas he awaits trial, say prosecutors.
A Technologically Refined Individual
Prosecutors wish to tighten Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail circumstances but once more.
United States Lawyer Damian Williams submitted a letter yesterday to Decide Lewis Kaplan arguing that the courtroom ought to restrict Bankman-Fried’s use of cellphones, tablets, computer systems, and Web whereas he awaits trial.
The request follows prosecutors’ discovery on February 13 that the disgraced crypto founder had used a digital non-public community (VPN) on a minimum of two events not too long ago to entry the web. Bankman-Fried claimed that he’d solely used a VPN to entry his NFL Sport Cross (which he had bought within the Bahamas) to look at the AFC and NFC championship video games on January 29, and the Tremendous Bowl on February 12. Williams identified that Bankman-Fried didn’t want his Sport Cross to look at the Tremendous Bowl, because it aired on cable tv.
Williams additionally highlighted Bankman-Fried’s current reaching out to FTX US basic counsel Ryne Miller via encrypted messaging app Sign. On January 15 Bankman-Fried despatched a message to Miller stating that he’d “actually like to reconnect and see if there’s a manner for us to have a constructive relationship, use one another as sources when attainable, or a minimum of vet issues with one another.”
Prosecutors claimed the message was a possible try at influencing a witness’ testimony, and even at intimidating Miller into not testifying towards him. The courtroom thereafter banned Bankman-Fried from utilizing encrypted messaging apps or reaching out to former workers with out a lawyer being current.
Nonetheless, Williams argued in his letter yesterday that Bankman-Fried was a “technologically subtle particular person with each the power and the inclination to hunt workarounds” to his bail circumstances, and that solely banning him from accessing the web altogether—apart from issues relating to his case—would forestall additional witness tampering. He additionally acknowledged that Bankman-Fried’s use of a VPN indicated that he may have been accountable for illegally shifting over $800,000 in funds related to Alameda Analysis again in December.
Disclosure: On the time of writing, the creator of this piece owned BTC, ETH, and several other different crypto property.