FTX’s Bankman-Fried seeks gag order for all witnesses in legal case

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has agreed to a “gag order” which is able to forestall him from making feedback to 3rd events that will intrude along with his trial — however argues it ought to apply to all potential witnesses as nicely, together with present FTX CEO John Ray.

The gag order in opposition to Sam Bankman-Fried was initially requested on July 20, when the U.S. authorities accused the FTX founding father of trying to intrude with a good trial by publicly discrediting former business partner and witness Caroline Ellison in an interview with the  New York Occasions.

In a July 22 letter to United States District Courtroom Decide Lewis A. Kaplan of New York, Bankman-Fried’s attorneys Cohen & Gresser LLP denied the accusations however agreed to simply accept a gag order as requested.

A gag order is a authorized order usually issued by a courtroom to limit data or remark from being made public or handed onto any unauthorized third occasion. On this case, Bankman-Fried will not be capable of make feedback that publicly discredit a authorities witness by sharing confidential data that will taint the jury pool.

Nonetheless, in accepting the reduction, Bankman-Fried’s attorneys additionally need the identical gag order to be utilized to all events and witnesses that could possibly be concerned in his legal trial.

“We respectfully request that any such reduction, nonetheless, ought to apply not simply to Mr. Bankman-Fried, however equally to all ‘events and witnesses’ — particularly, the Authorities and all potential witnesses on this case.”

This would come with the U.S. authorities, former staff of cryptocurrency change FTX, FTX Debtor entities, Alameda Analysis and different potential witnesses concerned within the case, based on the attorneys.

Explaining the request, the attorneys stated there was a “poisonous media atmosphere” surrounding their shopper because the collapse of the exchange, noting that FTX CEO John Ray was one of many larger culprits.

“Most notably, the present CEO of the FTX Debtor entities, John J. Ray III, who has routinely (and gratuitously) attacked and vilified Mr. Bankman-Fried in his public feedback and filings within the FTX chapter proceedings,” they stated.

“Mr. Ray’s repeated advert hominem assaults on Mr. Bankman-Fried—which have little or no do along with his function recovering belongings for FTX collectors and appear extra directed in direction of publicly vilifying Mr. Bankman-Fried. [This] has left Mr. Bankman-Fried with little alternative however to reply,” the attorneys added.

Associated: Sam Bankman-Fried’s brother planned to buy island and prep for apocalypse: court filing

The regulation agency argued that the U.S. authorities was making use of a double customary by touting a number of articles that sought to hurt SBF’s popularity. This shaped the idea of their request for a similar gag order for SBF.

SBF pleaded not guilty to a series of fraud charges for the alleged function he performed resulting in the bankruptcy of FTX. The trial for SBF’s fraud expenses begins on October 3.

Journal: Web3 Gamer: ‘Ethical’ SBF game axed, Web3 games sign-up process sucks, Tomb Chaser