A federal judge in New York has decided that Sam Bankman-Fried must remain in custody throughout his trial. Judge Lewis Kaplan, in a ruling on Thursday, stated that the former FTX founder has had ample time to prepare for the trial. However, Judge Kaplan did grant Bankman-Fried’s attorneys access to him every trial day at 7:00 a.m. ET, allowing them to discuss any matters before the trial proceedings commence.
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Bankman-Fried’s legal team had previously attempted twice to secure his release from jail prior to the trial, but both attempts were unsuccessful. They made a renewed effort this week, emphasizing their concern that they would be unable to consult with their client after trial days concluded. In an effort to address these concerns, they proposed a stringent set of restrictions that Bankman-Fried was willing to adhere to, including continuous supervision and a complete ban on accessing computers, phones, or any electronic devices.
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Prosecutors contested this request in a recent filing, asserting that Bankman-Fried and his attorneys had not sufficiently demonstrated that a temporary release was “necessary.” Furthermore, they raised doubts about whether the proposed plan, which involved a guard overseeing Bankman-Fried, would meet the legal requirements for a temporary release.