Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has made a request to the New York District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan, seeking permission for his “close friends” to visit him at his parent’s home without undergoing the security checks mandated by his bail conditions.
Bankman-Fried’s lawyers submitted a letter on July 13, urging the judge to extend the exemption from security measures to individuals on a pre-approved list.
At present, only Bankman-Fried’s legal representatives and employees from his contracted law firm are exempt from these checks.
The lawyers have requested that this privilege be extended to the visitors authorized by the court.
The list submitted by Bankman-Fried’s lawyers, which has been reviewed by the prosecutors without objection, includes “close friends and colleagues of Bankman-Fried’s parents and household help who regularly visit the house.”
To ensure the privacy and safety of the individuals mentioned in the list, the document was filed under seal, with the lawyers arguing that the importance of protecting the mentioned individuals far outweighs any presumption of public access to the list.
As part of the bail conditions set by Judge Kaplan, Bankman-Fried is currently limited to using a laptop solely for accessing court-approved websites, including specific news sites and YouTube. He is also in possession of a phone that has no internet access, allowing him only to make and receive calls and texts.
The lawyers representing Bankman-Fried assured that those on the approved visitor list are fully aware of his bail conditions and are committed to complying with them, which includes refraining from sharing any electronic devices with him.
Since being granted bail in December 2022, Bankman-Fried has been residing at his parent’s residence in Palo Alto, California.
It is important to note that the same property has been put up as collateral for his substantial $250 million bail bond.
While Bankman-Fried was originally scheduled to stand trial on October 2, a subsequent decision split five of the charges into a separate trial set to commence on March 11, 2024.
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