The decision to avoid a second trial charging Sam Bankman-Fried with conspiracy to make illegal political donations and bribery of foreign officials has angered many conservatives.
Federal prosecutors said Friday that they do not plan to pursue a second trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, citing a public interest in a speedy resolution of the case that appears to have upset those who hoped to see the disgraced FTX founder fully charged. .
In a letter Friday filed in federal court in Manhattan, prosecutors said they “do not plan to proceed with a second trial” because “much of the evidence that will be offered in the second trial was already offered in the first trial and may be considered by the Court at the defendant’s sentencing in March 2024. “
“Given that practical reality, and the strong public interest in the speedy resolution of this matter, the Government intends to proceed with sentencing on the charges for which the defendant was convicted at trial,” the prosecutor added.
The decision by prosecutors not to hold a second trial for Bankman-Fried quickly drew backlash from those following the case.
“So we won’t know which politician he bribed or whose campaign he influenced? The collective whining you hear is from the DEEP STATE,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., wrote in a Friday night broadcast to X.
Conservative commentator John Cardillo also weighed in on the announcement from prosecutors, accusing the Justice Department of protecting Democrats from being named as recipients of Bankman-Fried’s donations.
Sam Bankman-Fried will not face a second trial for making illegal political donations. Reuters
“Sam Bankman-Fried will not face a second trial,” Cardillo wrote in an X post. “DOJ protects his Dem donors.”
CryptoLaw founder John Deaton, who has consistently commented on the Bankman-Fried case, slammed the decision by prosecutors as “disgraceful.”
“The DOJ has shown once again, that it is NOT an independent agency,” Deaton told X. “Who does the Attorney General protect?”
Court drawing of Bankman-Fried hearing his verdict at trial. Reuters
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk also commented on prosecutors’ move not to hold a second trial for Bankman-Fried, insisting that the case “became too high-profile for the DOJ to completely ignore.”
“The SBF case became too high profile for the DOJ to completely ignore, but they made sure the $100 million laundering of client money to Schumer, Biden, and McConnell and other dark money would not blow back the ‘elite’. Trump faces 700 years in federal prison, but America’s uniparty cabal just gave themselves a get-out-of-jail-free card. You are witnessing DC corruption in real time,” Kirk wrote in a social media post.
The SBF case became too high profile for the DOJ to completely ignore, but they made sure the $100 million laundering of client money to Schumer, Biden, and McConnell and other dark money groups would not retaliate against the “elite”. Trump faces 700 years in federal prison, but… https://t.co/wC2l7ycl7H
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 30, 2023
Taking that into account, Trending Politics co-owner Collin Rugg said, “Bribing with stolen money is fine as long as the money goes to US politicians.”
“SBF donated $100 million during the 2022 midterms, pouring tens of millions into slush funds with client funds,” Rugg wrote at X. “Some of these groups are linked to Senate leaders including Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer.”
Rugg’s post to social media also included a clip that appeared to show Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., blew Bankman-Fried a kiss during one of their meetings.
In 2021 and 2022, Bankman-Fried donated nearly $38 million to various candidates and PACs, primarily giving her cash to Democratic candidates and left-wing groups, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.
SBF donates $100 million during midterm 2022. REUTERS
Most of his political contributions go to the Protect Our Future PAC, a group founded in January 2022 dedicated to raising candidates committed to preventing future outbreaks.
Bankman-Fried, accused of stealing from clients of his now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, has been in jail since August when a judge revoked his bail over allegations of witness tampering. He was found guilty earlier this month on seven federal charges, and his sentencing is scheduled for March 28.
Bankman-Fried made headlines at the start of the trial when he appeared in court clean-shaven, wearing a cropped coif and a suit after abandoning the longer hairstyle and casual attire he was known for as CEO at FTX.
Prosecutors accused Bankman-Fried, who founded and controlled both FTX and its sister hedge fund Alameda Research, of misappropriating and embezzling billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits, planning to mislead investors and directing other executives at his business to do the same.
In that trial, he faced two counts of wire fraud and five counts of conspiracy. The combined charges carry a maximum sentence of 110 years behind bars, but sentencing guidelines may call for less than that.
Prosecutors said in their letter Friday that much of the evidence presented during the first trial will be repeated in a second. They stated that since they “prove that the defendant engaged in a scheme to make illegal campaign contributions, the Court may consider this scheme as relevant conduct at the defendant’s sentencing.”
Prosecutors also said they were barred from including an illegal campaign contribution charge because an extradition agreement with the Bahamas to arrest Bankman-Fried did not include that count.
Breck Dumas, Suzanne O’Hallora, and Timothy Nerozzi of FOX Business contributed to this report.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
