Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, spends his third night in one of New York’s most notorious prisons, Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC). This development follows the revocation of his $250 million bail, amid allegations of witness tampering.
Bankman-Fried is now shares his cell with over 1,500 other inmates. The detention center has a long history of scandals involving inmate mistreatment and corruption, making his predicament all the more daunting.
His lawyers have argued against his detention, citing critical staffing issues at the jail. However, these pleas have fallen on deaf ears, and Bankman-Fried remains in custody.
From lavish living to MDC
Bankman-Fried, until recently, was under house arrest at his parents’ sprawling $4 million Palo Alto residence.
However, the revocation of his bail came on the heels of a leaked diary entry of former Alameda Research CEO, Caroline Ellison.The diary, which ended up in the hands of The New York Times, discussed Ellison’s sentiments towards Bankman-Fried and her tenure at Alameda Research.
Prosecutors have since surmised that Bankman-Fried disclosed the diary to tarnish Ellison’s reputation, who stands as a witness in his upcoming trial.
The defense has countered these allegations, asserting that their client’s communication with journalists was a rightful act of commenting on an already-public matter. An appeal against the bail revocation is currently underway.
High-profile detainees
The MDC has housed a series of renowned figures over the years. Names such as 6ix9ine, R. Kelly, Fetty Wap, and the infamous “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli have graced its cells. Furthermore, Ghislaine Maxwell, linked to Jeffery Epstein’s trafficking scandal, was also a former inmate.