Bankman-Fried’s request for temporary release denied amid upcoming trial

Lack of internet access and time pressures were insufficient grounds to grant Bankman-Fried’s temporary release, according to Judge Kaplan.

Former FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried will likely remain behind bars while until his Oct. 3 trial commences after a United States District Court judge denied his request for temporary release.

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan explained on Sept. 12 that Bankman-Fried’s lack of internet access in prison to prepare for his upcoming trial wasn’t a sufficient ground to grant his temporary release.

“Whatever time pressure defendant now claims to face given the imminence of the trial date and the claimed limitations of his access to [electronically stored discovery and other material] while incarcerated largely would be of his own making,” Kaplan explained.

Bankman-Fried’s lawyers previously complained about the prison’s poor internet connection in a Sept. 8 statement, explaining that Bankman-Fried would often need to wait up to 10 minutes for the homepage to be uploaded.

Related: Sam Bankman-Fried appeal against bail revocation ‘meritless’: Prosecutors

Bankman-Fried and his lawyers had a chance to request for the Oct. 2 trial date to be postponed, but no request was made, Judge Kaplan explained.

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This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.