FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Denies Allegations of Witness Tampering, Accepts Gag Order

Prosecutors have sought to bar Bankman-Fried and allies from making public statements that could interfere with the case.

By Reuters | Updated: 24 July 2023 11:06 IST

FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Denies Allegations of Witness Tampering, Accepts Gag Order

Photo Credit: Reuters

Bankman-Fried's attorney confirmed he had provided personal documents to the New York Times

Highlights

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX was once valued at $32 billion
The firm filed for bankruptcy protection in November
Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to fraud

Lawyers for FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried rejected prosecutors' claims that his discussions with a New York Times reporter amounted to witness tampering but agreed to accept a gag order, they said in a letter to the judge in the criminal fraud case.

The letter, released on Sunday, came after prosecutors sought to bar Bankman-Fried and allies from making public statements that could interfere with the case.

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX, once valued at $32 billion (roughly Rs. 2,62,334 crore), filed for bankruptcy protection in November as it was unable to repay depositors. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to fraud.

FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Accused of Witness Tampering

In the letter, Bankman-Fried's attorney confirmed he had spoken with and provided personal documents to the New York Times that included documents written by a former colleague, Caroline Ellison, who has cooperated with the US government.

"Bankman-Fried did not violate the protective order in this case, nor did he violate his bail conditions, nor did he violate any law or rule governing his conduct," Bankman-Fried's lawyer Mark Cohen said in the letter.

An article published by New York Times titled "Inside the Private Writings of Caroline Ellison, Star Witness in the FTX Case" reported excerpts from Ellison's personal Google documents from before the collapse of FTX in which she spoke about being "pretty unhappy and overwhelmed" with her job and feeling "hurt/rejected" from her breakup with Bankman-Fried.

FTX Sues Founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Seeks to Recoup Over $1 Billion

Ellison led Bankman-Fried's Alameda Research hedge fund and has pleaded guilty to defrauding investors and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. In December, Bankman-Fried said he and Ellison had been in a relationship but gave no further details.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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