Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, is struggling with his nutrition while being jailed in a US federal jail awaiting his fraud trial. According to Reuters, his lawyer stated on Tuesday that Bankman-Fried, who requested a vegan diet, is currently “subsisting on bread and water” due to the jail’s failure to offer the desired nutritional options. According to his lawyer, Mark Cohen, this condition is impeding his capacity to effectively prepare for his future trial.
The 31-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the seven criminal accusations laid against him in a recent indictment. The charges stem from his involvement in the November 2022 collapse of FTX, which resulted in bankruptcy procedures.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyer pointed out the jail’s failure to deliver the disgraced FTX founder with medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Manhattan federal court, where he pleaded guilty in Tuesday’s (August 22) hearing.
Bankman-Fried is accused of engaging in fraudulent acts, including taking billions of dollars in FTX client funds to offset losses in his hedge fund, Alameda Research. While Bankman-Fried has admitted to problems with risk management at FTX, he denies taking consumer money.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial will be presided over by Judge Lewis Kaplan
Overhearing the case, US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn emphasized her intention to address the issues raised with the US Justice Department’s Bureau of Prisons, which runs the institution.
While she acknowledges that the facility does serve vegetarian cuisine, she is unsure whether vegan food is offered.
Furthermore, Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial will be presided over by Judge Lewis Kaplan, who earlier ordered the jail to supply him with the necessary medications.
Despite these promises, public defenders have previously described the jail’s overall conditions as “inhumane.”
Allegations of witness tampering
Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal problems are not limited to the current charges. In addition, he was suspected of interfering with witnesses in his case. After learning that Bankman-Fried had attempted to influence witnesses on at least two occasions, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan revoked his bail. The FTX founder’s case has received a great deal of media interest.
