Cohen & Gresser, an international law firm representing former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), has argued that SBF should not be detained for leaking details from Caroline Ellison’s diary. Ellison, the former leader of Alameda Research, is expected to be a witness in SBF’s upcoming trial. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested SBF’s detention, claiming that his actions could have tampered with Ellison. However, SBF’s lawyers maintain that his contact with a New York Times reporter was a proper exercise of his rights to fair comment on an article already in progress. They argue that SBF has a right to talk to the press about his case to protect his reputation, as long as it does not pervert the course of justice. Cohen & Gresser also highlighted that detaining SBF would hinder his ability to fully participate in his defense, as federal prison inmates are not allowed internet access. The trial is set to begin on October 2.
