Details are emerging on the bail terms for the disgraced Sam Bankman-Fried following his extradition from The Bahamas. Bankman-Fried reportedly appeared at a U.S. courtroom earlier today to be heard on fraud charges, after arriving in the country last night.
US prosecutor Nicolas Roos maintained that SBF conducted a “fraud of epic proportions,” and that the trial against him would include the testimony of multiple cooperating witnesses. The latter is unsurprising, given the details released last night on charges laid against ex-Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison, as well as former FTX CTO and co-founder Gary Wang.
READ: Caroline Ellison Pleads Guilty To FTX Fraud Scheme, Posts $250K Bail
Roos also outlined that the government was proposing what he refers to as a “highly restrictive bail package,” including the highest-ever pretrial bond. The proposed bail package is said to include a $250 million bond, as well as home detention, location monitoring, and the surrender of his passport. The package was reportedly consented to by SBF’s counsel, with attorney Mark Cohen asking the court to accept the conditions.
The size of the bail bond is curious, given that Bankman-Fried reportedly claimed that he was down to his last $100,000, as reported by Axios on November 29, while at the same time claiming everything he had was tied up in FTX and Alameda. At one point it was estimated he was worth $26.5 billion.
Bankman-Fried will reportedly live in California with his parents under the bail terms, which have reportedly since been accepted by Judge Gorenstein in New York. As part of the bail package, SBF will reportedly be subjected to “strict pretrial supervision,” which is to include mental health treatment and evaluation.
The next court appearance is slated to occur January 3, 2023.
The reaction on Twitter, meanwhile, has been less than favourable.
SBF Posting $250M Bail after claiming to have only maybe $100K in his Bank account, to get taken out of Bahamian rat and maggot infested prison for Mommy and Daddy's house is some next level White Collar Bullshit
— Open Outcrier (@OpenOutcrier) December 22, 2022
This system is so broken
FTX founder SBF to be released on $250 million bail – CNBC
— Ramp Capital (@RampCapitalLLC) December 22, 2022
Was this in the $1.7T funding bill?
How does SBF still have $250 million to make bail?! That money should all be seized to pay back his victims. This is crazy.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 22, 2022
I instinctually want to believe the best in people. When coupled with my strong belief that one is innocent until proven guilty, I can be at risk of trusting a crook. @SBF_FTX posting $250m of bail is itself a criminal indictment and refutation of everything he has said to date. https://t.co/saVUvyTpqX
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) December 22, 2022
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