Federal Judge Orders Sam Bankman-Fried to Jail for Alleged Witness Tampering

After finding probable cause that the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange may have tampered with witnesses, a U.S judge revoked Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail.

Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, exits the Manhattan federal court in New York on Feb. 16, 2023. Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

A U.S. judge on Aug. 11 revoked Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail after finding probable cause that the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange may have tampered with witnesses.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan announced the decision at a hearing in federal court in New York, less than two months before the scheduled October fraud trial. The judge rejected a defense request to delay Mr. Bankman-Fried’s detention pending an appeal of the bail revocation.