The Imprisoned SBF May Give Up The Fight Against Extradition
After being in a “harsh” Bahamian prison for four days, SBF may be open to returning to the U.S.
Days after it was said that the disgraced founder of FTX, Sam-Bankman Fried, was “in good spirits” at Fox Hill prison, he is expected to change his mind about fighting extradition from The Bahamas.
The former executive’s lawyers are expected to drop their earlier notice in a Bahamian court on Monday. The earlier information came after bail was denied, and a hearing for extradition was set for February 8. Reuters first reported the news, and then many other news outlets independently confirmed it.
Sam Bankman-Fried is being charged with at least eight crimes in the U.S., such as wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. The Securities and Exchange Commission also charged him with setting up a plan to trick equity investors in FTX out of their money.
The U.S. Department of Justice says that extraditing someone from another country can take many months or even years. Even if there are no immediate legal problems with extradition, it could take months or even years for the courts to hear the extradition request, according to him.
The Washington Post told that a prison official who works with him regularly as saying that Bankman-Fried was “a little arrogant” but “a nice guy” who was “awfully scared.” The person said he might be ready to “face the music” now.
Bankman-Fried, known for sticking to a vegan diet, put down in his $250,000 bail application what foods he liked and medicines he needed. He is said to have asked prison officials if vegan meals could be sent to him, but COVID rules still don’t allow visitors.
On Thursday, Bahamian officials said that Bankman-Fried wasn’t getting any special treatment at the facility, which is the government’s only prison and has a capacity of 1,000 people but is often full.
In 2021, the U.S. State Department’s human rights review said that conditions at Fox Hill were “harsh” because of “overcrowding, poor nutrition, inadequate sanitation, and inadequate medical care.”
“Cells were infested with rats, maggots, and insects,” the report noted. “Prisoners reported infrequent access to nutritious meals and long delays between daily meals.”
Bankman-Fried has been at Fox Hill for four days but has been staying in the sick bay to be checked out. It is still being determined when he will be given a new prison cell and moved to it. In the report from the State Department, it was said that the maximum-security cells for men were about 6 feet by 10 feet and could hold up to six people without mattresses or toilets.
