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A federal judge has allowed Sam Bankman Fried’s lawyers to “take unlimited advantage of the legal visitation hours” at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, per a court filing on Wednesday.
The approval comes after the Department of Justice requested certain modifications to Bankman-Fried’s “accommodations” on August 18 that would allow him to effectively execute “the entirety of discovery in a timely manner before trial. “
In addition to the visitation rights, Bankman-Fried will also have “frequent computer access,” enabling him to review discovery materials that could be used for his defense.
His defense team argued that they needed to adequately prepare for the first of the two trials scheduled, which is slated to begin on October 3 and is expected to span several weeks.
Per the August 18 order, he will now be authorized to request “selected materials” be loaded onto hard drives for his viewing, too.
Bankman-Fried was incarcerated on August 11, following allegations of witness tampering. Since then, he’s been detained in the Metropolitan Detention Center, notable for its especially harsh conditions.
Initially, he had sought permission for daily meetings with his legal team at their Manhattan office, a request that was promptly denied by the court.
The case against Bankman-Fried is rooted in allegations that the former FTX CEO misappropriated user funds for various purposes, including investments, personal expenses, and political campaign donations.
He is facing thirteen criminal counts, which will be addressed in two separate trials scheduled for October 2023 and March 2024. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to all of them.
Contacted by Decrypt for comments, SBF’s lawyers did not respond.
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