Lawyers representing former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, also known as ‘“SBF,” have requested the court seal documents related to his interviews with a New York Times reporter revealing details about his relationship with Caroline Ellison.
In a July 27 filing in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Bankman-Fried’s legal team said it had provided the court and Department of Justice with documents the former FTX CEO had shown a reporter that led to details in Ellison’s private journals being published. The lawyers requested Judge Lewis Kaplan allow them to file the documents under seal, citing “the need to avoid their public dissemination.”
Prosecutors in the case have pushed for SBF’s $250-million bail to be revoked, claiming he used his freedom to intimidate Ellison — his former romantic partner and colleague — who is expected to offer testimony against the former FTX CEO. News outlet Inner City Press filed a letter of opposition to the request to seal the documents, claiming that any order to do so would be “internally inconsistent”:
“The defendant already gave them to one media outlet. It is akin to the evisceration of a Freedom of Information Act exemption by a record being already publicly available.”
The details of Ellison’s journals in the published NYT story included her describing feeling overwhelmed by her position at Alameda Research and her break up with SBF. It’s unclear what other information, if any, on Bankman-Fried or Ellison might come to light should the judge deny the request to seal.
SBF is currently under a temporary gag order imposed on July 26 tha largely prevents him from making any extrajudicial statements related to his criminal case until the determination of arguments on bail. Judge Kaplan will accept arguments from prosecutors on July 28 and from Bankman-Fried’s legal team on Aug. 3 regarding his bail conditions, which could lead to him being detained until his October trial.
Prosecutors told Judge Kaplan on July 27 they expected to drop the charge concerning violations of campaign finance against SBF due to the conditions of an extradition agreement with the Bahamas. The former FTX CEO still faces 12 criminal counts, which will be spread across two trials scheduled for October 2023 and March 2024.
Donald Trump has reignited his row with London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan after calling him a “nasty person” who has done “a terrible job”.
During an hour-long news conference with Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland, the US president hit out at the Labour mayor, who has responded with his own snipey remarks.
Asked if he would visit London during his state visit in September, Mr Trump said: “I will, I’m not a fan of your mayor, I think he’s done a terrible job.
“A nasty person, I think.”
The prime minister then interrupted and said: “He’s a friend of mine.”
But the president added: “I think he’s done a terrible job but I will certainly visit London, I hope so.”
More on Donald Trump
Related Topics:
Sir Sadiq’s spokesperson then released a statement saying: “Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.
“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer.
“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”
Image: Sir Sadiq Khan was knighted in June. Pic: PA
They noted that Sir Sadiq has won three mayoral elections, including when Mr Trump lost the US election in 2020.
This is not the first time Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq have locked horns.
Sir Sadiq then described Mr Trump as a “poster boy for racists”.
And in November 2024, after Mr Trump won his second term, Sir Sadiq said many Londoners would be “fearful” about what it would “mean for democracy”.
However, as Sir Keir tried to show diplomacy with Mr Trump after becoming PM, Sir Sadiq said he “wanted to work closely with the American president” ahead of his inauguration in January.
The London mayor said as somebody “who believes in democracy, and voting and elections, we should recognise the fact that Donald Trump is the elected president of the United States”.
But he added: “Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this president is different from the last time he was president.”
The SEC delayed decisions on the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF and Grayscale’s Solana Trust, extending review periods as the US Congress moves with crypto regulation.
The US House of Representatives will be in recess for the month of August, but the Senate still has a week of business to address two crypto bills before breaking.