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Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of now-collapsed crypto exchange, FTX, is trying to influence the witness, as the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges. In a letter to a Manhattan judge, the Federal Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried should be barred from encrypted messaging software including Signal, due to fears of possible witness tampering.
According to a CNBC report, the Federal prosecutors claimed that the overtures of Bankman-Fried, to the General Counsel of FTX, Ryne Miller, included a possible attempt at witness tampering. The authorities previously cited an unreleased testament from ex-Alameda Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Caroline Ellison as part of their justification for the ban.
The letter that was filed in Manhattan Federal court, states that “Federal prosecutors are trying to bar Bankman-Fried from using encrypted messaging software, which cited the efforts that may constitute witness tampering.” The prosecutors said FTX founder reached out to the “present General Counsel of FTX who may be a witness at trial.”
Although the name in the official filing was not identified, Ryne Miller is the current counsel of FTX and an ex-partner at Kirkland & Ellis. The authorities claim that Bankman-Fried wrote to Miller through an encrypted messaging app, Signal, on January 15th, days after bankruptcy officials at crypto exchange opened-up the recovery of more than $5 Billion in FTX assets.
Bankman-Fried allegedly told the current counsel of FTX that “he would really love to reconnect and see if there is a way for them to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other.”
The FTX founder has also been in-touch with some other current or ex-FTX employees, as the filing states. The federal prosecutors alleged that the request of Bankman-Fried suggests an attempt to influence the witness’s testimony, and also to polish his relationship with Miller that “may itself cause witness tampering.”
However, over this whole happenings, Bankman-Fried and Miller refused to comment.
Federal prosecutors claim that Bankman-Fried led his both firms Alameda and FTX via Slack and Signal, and also ordered his employees to set communications to “auto delete after 30 days or less.”
And for restricting Bankman-Fried’s access to Signal along with similar encrypted messaging platforms, the authorities cited a need to “prevent obstruction of justice.”
However, Bankman-Fried did not plead guilty to eight charges that were connected with the collapse of his crypto empire, FTX.
Steve Anderson is an Australian crypto enthusiast. He is a specialist in management and trading for over 5 years. Steve has worked as a crypto trader, he loves learning about decentralisation, understanding the true potential of the blockchain.
