- Sam Bankman-Fried has been denied bail by a judge in the Bahamas.
- The judge has issued an extradition hearing for February 8th.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the bankrupt crypto exchange, FTX, has been denied bail by a judge in the Bahamas. According to the latest reports, the Bahamian authorities will continue to detain Bankman-Fried, following his arrest held on December 12.
Joyann Ferguson-Pratt, the judge presiding over the case, has ordered an extradition hearing for February 8th. The hearing was scheduled in response to the decision to deny bail from Bankman-Fried.
SBF’s Claims on the Bahamas Court
During the hearing, Bankman-Fried’s counsel requested the judge to consider releasing SBF on a $250,000 bail. His legal team also contended that his release is necessary due to his need for regular medication.
The Bahamas prosecutors opposed the request and claimed that it was against a treaty with the United States. The lawyers further pointed out that the treaty mandated the defendants to be detained while extradition proceedings were pending.
Following this, Bankman-Fried informed the judge that he would not waive his right to challenge the extradition. He then implied that he might deliberately want to remain in the Bahamas.
Bankman-Fried was arrested on Monday after the Royal Bahamas Police Force was informed of a secret indictment by the U.S prosecutors. The arrest was prompted by the unsealed indictment from US prosecutors, which revealed eight accusations against Bankman-Fried.
Moreover, along with the US Department of Justice, the SEC and CFTC filed lawsuits against Bankman-Fried on Tuesday for alleged securities and commodities fraud. Investigations into Bankman-Fried and FTX are being conducted on both a civil and criminal level by Bahamas government officials.
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