Federal judge hints at denying Sam Bankman-Fried any internet access as condition of bail: Report

Judge Lewis Kaplan reportedly took aim at Sam Bankman-Freed’s use of the internet in a hearing aimed at testing former FTX CEO’s use of a virtual private network, or VPN.

According to a February 16 report by NPR correspondent David Gura, Judge Kaplan may have offered to deny Bankman-Fried access to any electronic device and the Internet as a condition of bail. While lawyers for SBF reportedly said there was no TV in Joe Bankman and Barbara Freed’s California home, where the former FTX CEO was largely in custody following his U.S. indictment in December, the judge countered that a “garden” was available. electronic devices”. with Internet access.

Bankman-Fried appeared in court for the first time in days to review the legal implications of his VPN use on January 29 and February 12. Lawyers for the SBF claimed that he watched football on the days in question, but prosecutors said the use of the VPN raised “several potential concerns”.

Prosecutors have proposed limiting the use of Bankman-Fried VPN as a condition of his bail, as has been done with some messaging apps and contacts with current or former FTX and Alameda Research employees. Judge Kaplan reportedly did not expand the terms of the SBF bail to include Internet or VPN restrictions in the hearing, but asked his legal team to provide a consultant willing to explain the implications of the technology in court.

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Bankman-Freed’s criminal trial is due to begin in October, when he will be charged with eight felonies, including wire fraud and campaign finance violations. The debtors in the FTX bankruptcy case also sent a subpoena to the former CEO directing him to submit certain documents and information related to his work at FTX to the court.