Prosecutors: SBF Sought to Manipulate Witness Through Signal

Prosecutors state that Bankman-Fried sought to influence a witness.
The prosecutors seek to ban SBF from Signal.
Bankman-Fried earlier denied participation or knowledge of a “Wirefraud” group.

In a letter submitted to a federal court in Manhattan on Friday, the United States Attorney’s Office stated that it is attempting to prevent indicted FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried from using encrypted messaging software. The letter cited that such efforts may “constitute witness tampering.”

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Additionally, the government asked the court to issue an injunction preventing Bankman-Fried from using encrypted messaging services like Signal.

According to the prosecutor, Bankman-Fried’s use of Signal is consistent with a history of using the application for obstructive purposes.

The prosecutors also added;

This is particularly concerning given that the defendant is aware that Witness-1 has information that would tend to inculpate the defendant.

The prosecution has made this request because they believe that Bankman-Fried attempted to “influence” Ryne Miller’s testimony on January 15 by contacting him by Signal and email. Miller is the current General Counsel of FTX US. The document quoted:

“I would really love to reconnect and see if there’s a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other.”

Earlier in December 2022, it was claimed that Bankman-Fried had denied participation or knowledge of a “Wirefraud” group conversation on Signal hours before Bahamian authorities arrested him.

It is said that members of Bankman-Fried’s inner circle participated in the group chat. These members included FTX co-founder Zixiao “Gary” Wang, FTX engineer Nishad Singh, and former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison. It is said that these individuals used the group chat to send confidential information about FTX and Alameda in the time leading up to the collapse.

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Godfrey Mwirigi

Godfrey Mwirigi is an enthusiastic crypto writer with an interest in Bitcoin, blockchain, and technical analysis. With a focus on daily market analysis, his research helps traders and investors alike. His particular interest in digital wallets and blockchain aids his audience in their day-to-day endeavors.