Sam Bankman-Fried wants the same gag order issued to other entities linked to the FTX and his fraud case.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of a new bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, has consented to a legal gag order, limiting public statements regarding his impending trial.
Bankman-Fried's defense, led by the law firm Cohen & Gresser LLP, accepted the gag order in a letter to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the United States District Court on July 22nd.
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The gag order, typically issued by courts to prevent the sharing or public discussion of sensitive information with unauthorized individuals, restricts Bankman-Fried from making public statements that could compromise a government witness or influence the jury.
The acceptance of the gag order came after the United States government accused Bankman-Fried of trying to sabotage the objectivity of his trial. This accusation stemmed from an interview with the New York Times where Bankman-Fried allegedly discredited Caroline Ellison, a former business associate and a key witness in the case.
However, despite agreeing with the order, Bankman-Fried's legal counsel has advocated for the same gag order to apply to all possible witnesses and involved parties, stating:
We respectfully request that any such relief, however, should apply not just to Mr. Bankman-Fried, but equally to all "parties and witnesses" — namely, the Government and all potential witnesses in this case.
The parties that Bankman-Fried's lawyers believe should be subject to this gag order extend to the US government, FTX Debtor entities, former FTX employees, Alameda Research-related entities, and any other potential witnesses related to the case.
The legal team emphasized their request by shedding light on the "toxic media environment" that has haunted their client following the downfall of FTX. They spotlighted John Ray, the present CEO of FTX, as a significant instigator, citing his repeated public disparagement of Bankman-Fried.
Mr. Ray’s repeated ad hominem attacks on Mr. Bankman-Fried — which have very little <to> do with his role recovering assets for FTX creditors and seem more directed towards publicly vilifying Mr. Bankman-Fried — <This> has left Mr. Bankman-Fried with little choice but to respond.
Charged with a series of fraud allegations concerning his actions leading to FTX's bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried maintains his innocence. The trial for his charges is set to commence on October 3rd.
As the trial date approaches, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is initiating legal actions against other witnesses, significantly impacting the course of the trial.
