The laptop computer of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried holds a lot knowledge that the FBI is struggling to investigate it, in accordance with stories from Enterprise Insider on March 30.
Prosecutors overburdened by laptop computer knowledge
The FBI is having problem with the laptop computer’s contents, in accordance with statements made by Assistant US Lawyer Nicholas Roos on the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ).
It reportedly takes weeks for prosecutors to retrieve Bankman-Fried’s Slack messages. It takes longer to acquire different knowledge, and brokers should divide the contents of the laptop computer into separate elements as a result of sheer quantity of information on the pc.
In consequence, the Division of Justice has up to now been unable to start a privilege evaluate — that’s, a evaluate by people who aren’t engaged on the case. This course of determines whether or not sure info can be utilized within the case towards Bankman-Fried.
Bankman-Fried’s legal professional reportedly expressed considerations about how prosecutors would deal with the information on the laptop computer. Nevertheless, the legal professional’s considerations are stated to be associated to the potential of a cooperating witness who may testify to advance the federal government’s case — not strictly whether or not the DOJ will have the ability to type by the laptop computer’s knowledge absolutely.
The report from Enterprise Insider additionally signifies that prosecutors have supplied over 6 million pages of discovery materials associated to the case up to now.
SBF court docket proceedings proceed
It’s unclear whether or not the DOJ and FBI’s difficulties are solely as a result of quantity of information, or whether or not their points are associated to encryption and privateness as nicely.
Though Bankman-Fried’s obvious data-hoarding habits haven’t beforehand been mentioned, his tendency to make use of secret and auto-deleting messaging apps beforehand turned a difficulty throughout his case. He now faces restrictions on his use of these apps.
Bankman-Fried’s major trial will happen in October, however court docket proceedings are at present ongoing. Bankman-Fried lately pleaded not responsible to 13 federal indictments. Earlier, he was charged with violating anti-bribery legal guidelines associated to China.
Bankman-Fried faces as much as 115 years in jail for his function in FTX’s wrongdoing, although it’s not assured that he’ll face that full sentence even when convicted.