NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has agreed to be voluntarily extradited to the United States.
His lawyer Jerone Roberts said yesterday his legal team is now preparing the necessary legal documents, adding that he hoped Bankman-Fried would be returned to court this week.
Roberts was flanked by attorneys Crystal Stuart and Kendrea Demeritte as he spoke at Long Wharf near the entrance of Arawak Cay. He said he was moved to make the announcement based on many inaccuracies reported in the media, and the number of calls and inquiries fielded by his office.
“Throughout my involvement with Sam, he has indicated an overwhelming desire to put the customers right and to make the customers whole,” Roberts said.
“In light of that and notwithstanding the strongest possible legal advice that we have offered to Sam, he has agreed to being voluntarily extradited to the United States of America. The process now is that we as counsel will prepare the necessary documents to trigger the court so that a time and date could be fixed for the extradition process to continue and to be completed.”
Roberts said: “I emphasize that Mr Bankman-Fried wishes to put the customers right and that is what has driven his decision to be voluntarily extradited to the United States. The next step is for Mr Bankman-Fried to appear before the magistrates court so that the completion of the extradition hearing can take place.”
Roberts’ announcement follows a chaotic morning at magistrates court where Bankman-Fried appeared before justice Shaka Serville to the apparent shock of his legal counsel.
SBF was expected to appear before the judge to drop his extradition fight after spending less than a week at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
However, Roberts told Magistrate Shaka Serville that he was shocked by Bankman-Fried’s appearance and called the hearing “premature”.
Roberts said he had expected to visit SBF at the prison today and had not yet received instructions on how to proceed. Serville adjourned the court some 10 minutes after the session began to allow SBF to speak with his legal counsel.
When it resumed, lead prosecutor Franklyn Williams argued that the instruction for SBF to be brought to the court had not come from US or local law enforcement.
Williams said he did not want to be a part of whatever play was being made. He told the court that he understood SBF had appeared in court to waive his right to an extradition hearing.
Roberts advised the court that Bankman-Fried US lawyers may be further ahead of the local team as it relates to this matter.
Serville said it appeared to be a “wasted day” as he remanded Bankman-Fried to prison.
Bankman-Fried has spent just shy of one week at The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services after he was deemed a flight risk and denied bail last Tuesday.
He filed a new application for bail before the Supreme Court, which is set to be heard before the Supreme Court on January 17, 2023.
At the time, Bankman-Fried advised that he intended to fight extradition to the United States where he faces widespread charges of defrauding investors in FTX.
His extradition trial was set for February 8, 2023, before Justice Serville.
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