Sam Bankman-Fried asked the judge to dismiss certain charges against him, arguing that they had improperly filed additional charges.
Bankman Fried, who allegedly made billions of dollars in corruption through FTX, filed a petition in Manhattan federal court. Fried’s lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan to dismiss the campaign finance violation charge because he did not approve when the Bahamian Government gave the green light to his extradition to the United States.
Fried Calls New CEO Spokesperson for Government
Sam Bankman Fried’s legal team argued that the new charges against FTX’s co-founder were also invalid because prosecutors did not receive the necessary clearance from the Bahamian authorities.
In his petition, Fried’s lawyers stated: “Mr. Bankman-Fried consented to be prosecuted only on the charges in the original indictment, for which the Bahamian government accepted extradition.” Weeks after FTX filed for bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried was arrested in Nassau, where he lived and ran FTX. US prosecutors allege that Fried ran a years-long plot to defraud investors and misappropriated client funds, including buying properties and directing trading activities through crypto hedge fund Alameda Research.
After Manhattan federal prosecutors asked Bahamian authorities to arrest him, Bankman-Fried avoided a potentially lengthy legal battle by agreeing to simplified extradition to the United States.
His lawyers, however, argue that Bankman-Fried maintains his rights under the extradition law and cannot be prosecuted on any charges other than those for which he has agreed to extradite. According to lawyers, the Bahamian Government had signed Bankman Fried’s surrender document, which did not include Article 8, an accusation of violating the campaign finance law. In addition to this charge, Bankman-Fried faced other fraud charges when he arrived in the United States. Prosecutors have since filed two additional indictments, bringing the number of Fried’s charges to 13.
Bankman-Fried is also forcing FTX’s new management to turn over the documents to him. His attorneys have included as evidence several emails passed between the US prosecutors conducting the FTX investigation and Sullivan & Cromwell attorneys hired to help restructure the company.
Lawyers said that FTX’s new CEO, John Jay Ray, and the company’s lawyers continued to make derogatory remarks about Bankman-Fried, acting as the spokesperson for the government and labeling him as the bad guy.
Fried, who denies all charges, is scheduled to appear in court in October.
59514
