The nature of Sam Bankman-Fried’s conduct at the helm of FTX will face intense scrutiny at trial, but his alleged behavior after stepping down is what ultimately earned him a spot at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn in August.
A bail agreement meant Bankman-Fried was allowed to prepare his defense against criminal fraud charges under house arrest at his parents’ California home. But the sudden change of scenery to a Brooklyn jail came at a crucial time, Kevin O’Brien of Ford O’Brien Landy LLP told Decrypt.
“The last few months—that’s crunch time,” he said. “The earlier period really doesn’t matter, but he needs to be focussing on specific witnesses and questions now.”
O’Brien, a former assistant U.S. attorney specializing in white-collar criminal defense, said Bankman-Fried’s tether to the MDC will strain him and his lawyers. As the case develops, the former crypto mogul’s availability will be paramount, O’Brien said.
“He’s going to have to help them cut through all the unimportant detail that the government’s going throw at them,” he said. “How are [his lawyers] going to navigate all this stuff without his active support?”
Bankman-Fried’s bail was revoked by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan over witness tampering concerns. And on Thursday, K
Go to Source to See Full Article
Author: André Beganski
Tip BTC Newswire with Cryptocurrency