US prosecutors have asked a New York judge to prevent Sam Bankman-Fried from contacting his former FTX colleagues and from using encrypted messaging apps, claiming the crypto company founder communicated with potential witnesses in his looming criminal trial.
In a letter sent to the court on Friday, the government alleged Bankman-Fried had been “in direct communication” over the Signal messaging app with the general counsel of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, who might be asked to take the stand in the case against his former boss.
The letter did not name the general counsel, but the role is occupied by former Sullivan & Cromwell lawyer Ryne Miller, who joined FTX US in 2021.