by • Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal team has requested the court to redact the names and other identifying information of two bail sureties for his $250-million bond.
• The legal team cites potential harassment and threats to Bankman-Fried’s parents as cause for concern.
• Mark Cohen of the law firm Cohen & Gresser said the two sureties would face similar intrusions on their privacy as well as threats and harassment if their names appear unredacted on their bonds or their identities are otherwise publicly disclosed.
Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of FTX, is seeking to ensure the safety of two individuals acting as sureties for his $250-million bond. Bankman-Fried’s legal team has submitted a letter to Judge Lewis Kaplan of the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York, requesting the court order to redact certain information on these sureties, such as their names and other identifying information. This is due to the fear that the sureties may face similar harassment and threats as those experienced by Bankman-Fried’s parents.
Mark Cohen of the law firm Cohen & Gresser, who is representing Bankman-Fried, expressed his concern that if the identities of the two sureties were to be made public, they would be subject to similar levels of media scrutiny, harassment, and threats as Bankman-Fried’s parents. Cohen noted that Bankman-Fried’s parents have been the targets of a steady stream of threatening correspondence, including communications expressing a desire that they suffer physical harm.
Cohen states that it is essential to protect the two sureties from similar levels of harassment and threats, and so the legal team is requesting that their personal information be redacted from the bonds once they are signed on January 5. The team also wants to ensure that the sureties’ personal information is not available to the public, in order to keep them safe from potential harm.
This is not the first time Bankman-Fried has faced legal trouble. In December 2020, he was charged with securities fraud and money laundering by the U.S. Department of Justice. Since then, he has been in and out of court, attempting to arrange a bail package that would allow him to remain free while his case is being heard.
It is unclear what the outcome of Bankman-Fried’s latest request will be, but it is clear that he and his legal team are taking steps to protect the safety of those involved. It remains to be seen how the court will respond, but one thing is certain – Bankman-Fried is determined to ensure the safety of himself and his sureties as the case continues.
