Sam Bankman-Fried, the once-respected FTX founder, has returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, after a brief stint at a transfer facility in Oklahoma, according to inmate records.
Following a recommendation from Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to transfer Bankman-Fried to a prison in California to be closer to his family, his legal team opposed the move. Instead, they requested that he remain at the MDC in Brooklyn to work on his appeal.
In an April letter to the Bureau of Prisons, Judge Kaplan requested that Bankman-Fried stay in New York until his appeal is fully prepared to ensure easy access to his legal team. This decision reflects the government’s willingness to accommodate Bankman-Fried’s preferences as he gears up for his appeal regarding the alleged digital asset fraud at FTX.
Bankman-Fried has been held at the MDC since his bail was revoked in August of last year for witness tampering. This occurred after he leaked private diary entries of his ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, who was a key witness in the case against him.
Following a rapid fraud trial last fall, Bankman-Fried was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. He has also been ordered to pay $11 billion for his involvement in the massive crypto fraud scheme that defrauded FTX investors of $8 billion.
Several of Bankman-Fried’s former colleagues, including Ellison, are expected to be sentenced later this year for their roles in the fraudulent activities at the crypto exchange.