**U.S. Justice Department Seeks Reclamation of $13 Million in Political Donations Tied to FTX**
The U.S. Justice Department is diligently pursuing the recovery of up to $13.25 million in political donations associated with former executives of FTX, as disclosed in a recent filing in federal court.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is presiding over the criminal case against former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and his associates, has granted the government’s request for an extension until January 15 to engage in negotiations with various political action committees (PACs).
In its court submission, the Justice Department underscored the necessity for additional time to deliberate on the “forfeitability of funds” that these PACs have received from Bankman-Fried and his co-conspirators.
**Mentioned PACs: Senate Majority PAC, Future Forward PAC, and Emily’s List**
The filing specifically identifies organizations such as Senate Majority PAC, Future Forward PAC, and Emily’s List, all of which predominantly align with Democratic values or advocate for progressive initiatives.
Data from OpenSecrets reveals that the contributions, amounting to approximately $13.25 million, were made by Bankman-Fried and Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at FTX. Singh, who testified that Bankman-Fried directed him to make these donations—often by signing blank checks—was recently sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release after cooperating with prosecutors in the case against Bankman-Fried.
Detailed financial records indicate that the Future Forward PAC alone received $1 million from Singh and $5 million from Bankman-Fried. Additionally, GMI PAC accepted $2 million, while Senate Majority PAC was awarded $2 million from Singh and $1 million from Bankman-Fried. Furthermore, Women Vote received $2.25 million from Singh.
In the wake of FTX’s downfall, numerous politicians and PACs have begun returning the contributions made by Bankman-Fried, with reports suggesting that many of these entities plan to redirect the funds toward charitable causes.
**Impact of SBF’s Neurodivergent Disorders on His Trial**
Last month, a coalition of doctors submitted an amicus brief in support of Sam Bankman-Fried’s appeal, asserting that his criminal trial may have been significantly influenced by his neurodivergent disorders.
The FTX co-founder, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), encountered “serious challenges” during the legal proceedings, according to the physicians.
The brief, endorsed by eight specialists in neurodivergence, pointed out that several rulings throughout the trial were unfavorable to Bankman-Fried due to his conditions. This submission coincided with another filing from a group of bankruptcy law professors, who raised concerns regarding the relationship between FTX’s bankruptcy case and Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial.
While the professors did not advocate for either party, they cautioned that collaboration between the FTX bankruptcy estate and the prosecution could set a “dangerous precedent,” potentially promoting the use of Chapter 11 proceedings to support concurrent criminal prosecutions.
