Sam Bankman-Fried isn’t getting his Adderall and is surviving on ‘bread and water,’ lawyers say
In this courtroom sketch, FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried, wearing prison clothing, stands between his attorneys Mark Cohen and Christian Everdell in Manhattan federal court where he plead guilty to seven criminal charges in a new indictment during a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in New York City, Aug. 22, 2023.
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
In a hearing in New York on Tuesday, lawyers for FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried expressed concerns over their client’s living conditions at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he’s being housed for alleged witness tampering.
Bankman-Fried’s legal team told a federal judge that the former crypto billionaire was “subsisting on bread and water” and “sometimes peanut butter,” because the jail can’t accommodate his vegan diet. They said he had only been offered the standard “flesh meals.”
Mark Cohen, an attorney on the case, added that Bankman-Fried had not received any doses of his prescribed medication Adderall, a treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, since being remanded to custody 11 days ago. Cohen said his client only had a “limited” and “dwindling” supply of Emsam, a transdermal patch for treating depression. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is presiding over the criminal trial, had told a jail to provide these prescribed medications to Bankman-Fried.
The hearing on Tuesday marked Bankman-Fried’s first time in court since he was sent to MDC earlier this month. He is due to be held there until his criminal trial begins in October. Bankman-Fried, donning a beige, jail-issued uniform and ankle shackles, pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including fraud and conspiracy, in a new superseding indictment. He previously pleaded not guilty to more indictments related to the collapse of his crypto empire.
An earlier request from Bankman-Fried’s lawyers included a letter from his psychiatrist, George Lerner, who has been treating the former FTX CEO since February 2019.
“Mr. Bankman-Fried has a history of Major Depressive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,” Lerner wrote.
Without his medication, Lerner warned, “Bankman-Fried will experience a return of his depression and ADHD symptoms and will be severely negatively impacted in his ability to assist in his own defense.”
Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn said she would look into these issues immediately and aim to have a solution by the end of the day.
Christian Everdell, another attorney on Bankman-Fried’s legal team, told Netburn there are “serious Sixth Amendment issues” involving Bankman-Fried not being able to prepare and participate in his defense with only six weeks until trial.
Bankman-Fried has thus far been unable to gain access to the internet and a laptop. His lawyers have argued that with their client in jail, he will not be able to properly prepare for his trial due to the mountainous amounts of discovery documents only accessible via a computer connected to the internet.
Judge Netburn said the defense would have to make trial preparation requests through Judge Kaplan.
On Monday, Judge Kaplan granted Bankman-Fried and his attorneys permission to work out of the courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in Manhattan, New York, immediately following Tuesday’s arraignment. Judge Netburn said she would address concerns over Bankman-Fried’s living conditions directly with the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Prisons, which runs the jail.
Bankman-Fried had his bail revoked over his decision to leak private diary entries by his ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, to The New York Times. In many of her personal writings, Ellison expressed self-doubt and feelings of stress in her role as the former head of Bankman-Fried’s failed crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research.
WATCH: Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail over witness tampering
Honda announced that it is pausing about $15 billion in planned EV investments to build electric vehicle and battery factories in Canada amid uncertainty over trade.
It’s the latest example of Canada’s backing the US plan backfiring.
A few years ago, Canada sided with the US in its plan to save the US auto industry, which was falling behind the rest of the world in the transition to electric vehicles.
Canada agreed to heavily tariff Chinese EVs to keep them away from the North American market, which mainly helps the US auto manufacturing industry, and in return, Canada’s EV production was included in Biden’s IRA to encourage foreign automakers to invest in EV production in both US and Canada to get access to the US market.
However, when Trump came into power earlier this year, he threw a wrench into this entire plan by canceling IRA funding, planning to kill the EV tax credit, and placing tariffs on many countries, including Canada.
It has resulted in planned investments in the EV sector in Canada to cool down.
Now, one of Canada’s most significant EV investments has been paused.
Honda has announced that it is pausing for two years its plan to establish a massive new EV production base in Canada:
“Due to the recent slowdown of the EV market, Honda Motor has announced an approximate two-year postponement of the comprehensive value chain investment project in Canada. The company will continue to evaluate the timing and project progression as market conditions change.”
The investment was announced just over a year ago. It was supposed to include a new EV factory in Ontario and a battery factory, totaling more than $10 billion in investments.
It was supposed to create over 1,000 jobs in Ontario and help retain the 4,200 jobs at Honda’s current assembly plant in Ontario, which are threatened by the electric transition.
Electrek’s Take
Canada is taking a beating here and all for mostly just protecting the US auto industry.
As I have been saying for a while, at this point, you should just invite the Chinese automakers to join.
You can do a deal à la India, where you remove tariffs for Chinese automakers willing to invest in the EV supply chain in Canada.
There’s no point in protecting the US automakers if the US is purposefully destroying the Canadian auto sector.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
A new company out of Germany called ONOX is bringing sustainable technology to the agriculture industry. After garnering design awards, the ONOX electric tractor prototype is in operation overseas as its makers look to scale and bring its unique modular design, complete with swappable battery packs, to farms everywhere.
It’s been less than two years since ONOX hit the tech scene with a prototype of its flagship electric tractor, which debuted at Agritechnica 2023 in Hanover, Germany. In April of 2024, the German startup’s electric tractor was awarded an iF Design Gold Award.
That same summer, the ONOX1 finalized commissioning before entering an extensive test phase. By December, the startup had snagged another trophy – the Federal Ecodesign Award. This past February, the ONOX electric tractor received road approval in Germany and began operations while the design team continues its mission of making electric agricultural machinery a reality.
The ONOX electric tractor is unique in that it utilizes modular battery swap technology, in which farmers can choose from three different mounting areas (see below).
ONOX’s electric tractor could breathe new life into farming
Since the ONOX electric tractor remains a prototype, many of its specs are targets and estimates, but the initial design is quite impressive. The electric tractor’s motor offers peak power of 70 kW with over 2,400 Nm of torque up front and over 5,500 Nm in the rear. ONOX’s targeted top speed is 40 km/h (~25 mph).
The ONOX tractor features an integrated 20-kWh battery pack and room for additional swappable packs of 30 kWh each. The entire system operates on 48V power, so maintenance is safer and easier for users without further training since there is no risk of exposure to high-voltage components.
The ONOX design team has also integrated an Airline system with mounting rails on the tractor’s hood, enabling future owners to mount cargo, haul hay or produce, or customize the area with other parts. The front of the tractor is also front-loader-ready, adding to its modularity and versatility.
The ONOX website says the electric tractor is self-sufficient using its own solar energy, but from the specs and images we’ve seen, there is no evidence of any solar technology implemented on the current prototype. Perhaps they mean the swappable batteries can be charged using solar when not installed on the tractor.
We will monitor ONOX’s progress as electric tractor development continues en route to commercial sales.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Toyota upgraded its electric SUV in just about every way possible. The 2026 Toyota bZ is refined from end to end with a fresh new style, more driving range, advanced new tech, and much more. It even has an NACS port, so you can charge at Tesla Superchargers. Here’s our first look at Toyota’s new EV.
Meet the 2026 Toyota bZ electric SUV
Remember the bZ4X? It’s currently the only EV Toyota sells in North America. It’s now called the “bZ,” and it’s better than ever.
The 2026 Toyota bZ has an estimated driving range of 314 miles, a 25% improvement over the outgoing bZ4X. It also has a built-in NACS charging port, unlocking access to Tesla’s vast Supercharger network across North America.
Toyota said the upgraded EV can charge from 10% to 80% “under ideal conditions” when using DC fast charging. With added Plug & Charge capabilities, charging has never been easier.
The AWD models now have up to 338 hp, a 50% improvement thanks to new SIC semiconductors. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) models deliver 221 hp, up from 201 HP in the 2025 bZ4X.
Other upgrades, including battery pre-conditioning and a thermal management system, help optimize charging speeds in cold weather.
Battery options and driving range
The 2026 Toyota bZ will have two battery options: 57.7 kWh and 74.7 kWh. Toyota estimates that the larger (74.7 kWh) battery will provide up to 314 miles of range, while the smaller (57.7 kWh) option will get up to 236 miles.
Toyota upgraded the electric SUV inside and out. The exterior features Toyota’s new “hammerhead front end,” which is shown on updated vehicles like the Camry and Crown. The new styling includes redesigned front overfenders and slim LED daytime running lights.
The interior received a few upgrades, including a redesigned center console. The setup now includes a larger 14″ Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen, two wireless phone chargers, and a slimmed-down dashboard.
Standard features include a 7″ driver display screen, heated front and rear seats, regenerative braking, Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, and more.
Upgrading to the Limited trim will gain you 20″ black alloy wheels, multi-LED headlights, SofTex®-trimmed seats, ventilated front seating, and added safety/ driver assist features. Other options include a panoramic moonroof with power sunshade (XLE) and a premium 9-speaker JBL Audio system (Limited).
.
| 2026 Toyota bZ trim | Battery | Range (Manufacturer estimated) |
| XLE FWD | 57.7 kWh | 236 miles |
| XLE FWD Plus | 74.7 kWh | 314 miles |
| XLE AWD | 74.7 kWh | 288 miles |
| Limited FWD | 74.7 kWh | 299 miles |
| Limited AWD | 74.7 kWh | 278 miles |
According to Toyota, the new name will help simplify things for buyers. We suspect it’s also designed to revamp the brand’s sole EV after a slow (to say it nicely) rollout in North America. The bZ4X was recalled shortly after launch over concerns that the wheels may fall off.
The 2026 Toyota bZ is expected to arrive at dealerships in the second half of 2025. Check back for more info as prices will be revealed soon.
With the upgraded 2026 model arriving, Toyota is offering close-out prices on the 2024 and 2025 bZ4X. The 2024 bZ4X is listed with up to $19,000 in lease cash, while 2025 models can be leased for as low as $269 per month. You can use our link to find deals on the 2024 and 2025 Toyota bZ4X in your area today.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway