A federal judge will listen to Sam Bankman-Fried’s defense against a newly disclosed group of evidence by the US Department of Justice on August 25th. According to Bankman-Fried’s attorneys, with less than six weeks until his scheduled trial on October 3rd, a 4 million-page supplemental discovery has been released. Additionally, Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyer expresses concerns about certain conditions and medical needs since his entry into prison.
First Hearing on August 30th
Judge Lewis Kaplan issued an order on August 26th, requesting the government to respond to Bankman-Fried’s legal team’s letters regarding proper access to discovery materials and to prevent the government from using evidence produced after July 1st. According to Bankman-Fried’s attorneys:
“We also object to the government’s submission of a 4 million-page supplemental discovery yesterday. It is impermissible for the government to dump millions of pages on the defense less than six weeks before trial, […]. For the reasons previously discussed in our letter at ECF No. 206, the government should be precluded from using such evidence at trial.”
Today’s decision allows Bankman-Fried’s counsel to present their arguments during the hearing, which will be conducted via video conference on August 30th.
Lawyer Expresses Concerns for SBF
Bankman-Fried is accused of misusing user funds for investments, personal expenses, and political campaign donations. The former FTX CEO faces a total of 12 charges, which will be heard in two trials starting in October 2023 and March 2024. Earlier this week, Bankman-Fried did not admit to the fraud and money laundering charges outlined in an updated indictment by prosecutors. During the hearing, his lawyers argued for better treatment since the revocation of his bail on August 11th at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center.
According to his attorneys, Bankman-Fried is forced to follow a diet consisting of bread, peanut butter, and water due to the absence of vegan options in prison. His lawyer also expressed concerns about his medical needs, sharing that he has been unable to receive his medication since his incarceration. Bankman-Fried also expressed his desire to prepare his defense with his team through his attorneys and had requested a laptop and specific days for permission. It is estimated that due to legal regulations, Bankman-Fried’s request may not be fulfilled.
