According to his lawyers, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried can’t sufficiently prepare for trial in six weeks while in jail due to lackluster computer access, not getting needed medications, and a poor diet.
The lawyers made their case at a Manhattan federal court hearing after Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to seven charges he’ll face at his trial on October 3rd, which include wire fraud and conspiracy counts.
Attorney Mark Cohen said that Bankman-Fried hadn’t received the medication necessary for him to focus since he was sent to jail. He added his client continued to be served a “flesh diet,” which amounted to bread, water, and sometimes peanut butter.
Another defense attorney, Christian Everdell, said that Bankman-Fried was being denied the right to adequately prepare for trial because he was only permitted to look over millions of pages of digital evidence two days a week.
The 31-year-old Bankman-Fried was infamously extradited from the Bahamas in December after prosecutors said he stole billions of dollars in deposits, only to spend tens of millions on his businesses, investments, charitable donations, and illegal campaign contributions to influence cryptocurrency regulation in DC.
Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn told Bankman-Fried’s attorneys that she would not alter the rules regarding his access to computers, but that she would see if she could get the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to give him medications and a diet more closely aligned with his vegan preferences.
