A federal judge is allowing former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, or SBF, access to his legal team outside of jail provided he gives sufficient notice.
In an Aug. 23 order filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Lewis Kaplan said SBF would be allowed access to discovery materials in his criminal case in a courthouse cell block with 48 hours’ notice to prosecutors and the U.S. Marshals Service. The order came prior to Kaplan reaching a decision on motions from the Justice Department and SBF’s legal team regarding how much time the former FTX CEO would be allowed outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn in order to assist in the preparation of his case.
Kaplan said the order was in line with the accommodations the U.S. government proposed for SBF on Aug. 18. However, the details of the government’s offer in the filing were largely redacted, other than claiming the U.S. Marshals Service “offered these extraordinary accommodations in light of the unique nature of this case”. SBF’s legal team requested he be allowed outside of jail five days a week to assist with his own defense.
SPECIAL SAM: Looks like Bankman-Fried will be allowed to meet daily with his lawyers and laptop in the SDNY courthouse. This just-filed order refers to paragraphs from DOJ’s Aug 18 letter where are fully redacted. #SecretSamhttps://t.co/uUXBcLMej9pic.twitter.com/nbm2BVlQqM
The judge ruled on Aug. 21 that SBF be allowed roughly 7 hours in the New York courthouse cell block attorney room on Aug. 22. Based on an Aug. 23 filing from his legal team, the former FTX CEO and his lawyers may have discussed the defense strategy of relying on advice of previous counsel, causing him to act “in good faith” in regards to his alleged actions at FTX and Alameda Research.
SBF had been free on a $250-million bail following his extradition from the Bahamas and arraignment in the United States in December 2022. On Aug. 11, following allegations of witness intimidation, Kaplan revoked his bail, causing him to be sent to jail where he will likely remain through the trials.
The former FTX CEO faces 12 criminal counts which will be spread across two trials starting in October 2023 and March 2024. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party.
The 53-year-old MP is the first to jump ship since the general election and in her resignation letter criticised the prime minister for accepting thousands of pounds worth of gifts.
She told Sir Keir Starmer the reason for leaving now is “the programme of policies you seem determined to stick to”, despite their unpopularity with the electorate and MPs.
In her letter she accused the prime minister and his top team of “sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice” which are “off the scale”.
“I’m so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party,” she said.
Since December 2019, the prime minister received £107,145 in gifts, benefits, and hospitality – a specific category in parliament’s register of MPs’ interests.
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Ms Duffield, who has previously clashed with the prime minister on gender issues, attacked the government for pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies as she resigned the Labour whip.
She criticised the decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test the winter fuel payment, and accused the prime minister of “hypocrisy” over his acceptance of free gifts from donors.
“Since the change of government in July, the revelations of hypocrisy have been staggering and increasingly outrageous,” she said.
“I cannot put into words how angry I and my colleagues are at your total lack of understanding about how you have made us all appear.”
Ms Duffield also mentioned the recent “treatment of Diane Abbott”, who said she thought she had been barred from standing by Labour ahead of the general election, before Sir Keir said she would be allowed to defend her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat for the party.
Her relationship with the Labour leadership has long been strained and her decision to quit the party comes after seven other Labour MPs were suspended for rebelling by voting for a motion calling for the two-child benefit cap to be abolished.
“Someone with far-above-average wealth choosing to keep the Conservatives’ two-child limit to benefit payments which entrenches children in poverty, while inexplicably accepting expensive personal gifts of designer suits and glasses costing more than most of those people can grasp – this is entirely undeserving of holding the title of Labour prime minister,” she said.
Ms Duffield said she will continue to represent her constituents as an independent MP, “guided by my core Labour values”.