Regulation

Court Denies Sam Bankman-Fried’s Appeal for Release

Published

12 months ago

November 22, 2023

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In a significant development in the high-profile case of Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has upheld the decision to keep him in detention. Bankman-Fried, the founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, faces multiple criminal charges, including defrauding customers, lenders, and investors.

Sam Bankman-Fried’s Pre-Trial Release Violations Condemned

The court refused to grant release to Bankman-Fried after thoroughly considering his appeal. The ruling, detailed in a letter from Clerk of Court Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe, emphasized the court’s view that Bankman-Fried’s arguments for release were unconvincing. The decision was influenced by past incidents where he attempted to tamper with witnesses, which led to tightening his release conditions.

Originally placed under house arrest at his parents’ residence in Palo Alto, California, Bankman-Fried’s bail was revoked in October. The revocation followed his alleged involvement in leaking information to the press and communicating with witnesses, violating the terms of his pre-trial release. He was found guilty on November 2 on seven criminal counts and is scheduled for sentencing on March 28.

Crypto Exchanges Settle Charges with Regulators

In related news, the cryptocurrency industry continues to face regulatory scrutiny. Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, has recently resigned as CEO of Binance. This move is part of the ongoing settlement discussions between the trading platform and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Over the past two years, a trend of crypto trading platforms settling charges with various U.S. regulators, including the DOJ, SEC, and CFTC, has emerged.

Kraken, another major crypto exchange, previously settled with the SEC for $30 million over allegations of operating its staking product as an unregistered security. The exchange is currently involved in a second lawsuit, mirroring the regulatory challenges faced by Binance and Coinbase.

Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly seeking over $700 million from Ripple Labs for selling XRP to institutional investors, a case that the crypto community has closely watched. Legal experts believe the final settlement amount could be significantly lower than the initial demand. This trend of settlements indicates a growing push for regulatory compliance within the cryptocurrency industry as regulators and crypto platforms navigate these legal challenges.