Sam Bankman-Fried Alleged to Have Tried to Influence Witnesses in US Probe

• US prosecutors claim Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the co-founder of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has attempted to influence witnesses in a case being investigated by the US government.
• Attorneys of the Southern District of New York have requested the judge restrict SBF from accessing encrypted messaging systems such as “Signal” and from contacting former employees of FTX and Alameda Research.
• Prosecutors mention a Signal message sent by SBF to “Witness-1” on January 15, which implies an effort to influence Witness-1’s potential testimony.

US prosecutors have alleged that Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the former CEO of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has attempted to influence witnesses in the case being investigated by the US government. In a recent court document, the attorneys of the Southern District of New York have requested the judge to restrict SBF from accessing encrypted messaging systems such as “Signal” and to prohibit him from contacting former employees of FTX and Alameda Research.

The prosecutors highlighted a Signal message sent by SBF to “Witness-1” on January 15, which states: “I would really love to reconnect and see if there’s a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other.” The prosecutors argued that the message conveys an effort to influence Witness-1’s potential testimony, and that the defendant’s use of the app is consistent with that. The letter also includes that given that the defendant is aware that Witness-1 may have information that tends to implicate the defendant, this is very troubling.

In order to prevent SBF from obstructing the investigation and from influencing the witnesses, the attorneys have requested the judge to restrict SBF from accessing encrypted messaging systems. They are also looking to prohibit him from contacting former workers of FTX and Alameda Research. The court document further mentions that the defendant has a history of using Signal for obstructive purposes.

The US government is taking serious measures to ensure that witnesses are not influenced by SBF and that their testimonies are not compromised. The court is currently reviewing the attorneys’ request, and a decision is expected to be made soon.