NASSAU, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Blocked roads, a heated courtroom and multiple delays marked Sam Bankman-Fried’s first public appearance since the collapse of his crypto company.
The Bahamas saw Bankman-Fried, dressed more in a suit than his typical shirt dress, during a six-hour courtroom hearing as he sought bail to challenge his extradition to the United States. United States of America.
It was a stunning boon for the cryptocurrency mogul, who was once valued by Forbes at $26.5 billion.
“I’m not,” Bankman-Fried said when asked if she would waive her right to an extradition hearing.
It was a rare comment at a hearing where mostly lawyers discussed the process. In another statement, Bankman-Fried called the night of her arrest “sensitive.”
Bankman-Fried, who has given numerous media interviews since the collapse of her company but has not been widely seen in public, was highly anticipated ahead of her appearance.
The day began with photographers and reporters gathering outside the main entrance to take pictures of Bankman-Fried walking into court.
Bahamas Chief Justice JoyAnn Ferguson-Pratt, who often leaves the courtroom laughing, once quipped, “I wasn’t born yesterday,” when explaining the law to a defense attorney.
Ferguson-Pratt repeatedly forgot the defendant’s last name, causing laughter.
“Samuel,” said the once-billionaire crypto tycoon, reminding him of his name: “Bankman-Fried.”
People in the courtroom fanned themselves to cool off in the tropical heat as the sun shone through the windows.
The court was adjourned twice, once to consult on the court’s jurisdiction over bail and again in the afternoon.
It also includes An extensive discussion of Bankman-Fried’s drugsHis lawyer said it was for conditions like depression, insomnia and attention deficit disorder.
Early in the process, Bankman-Fried asked to change the Emsam patch, a medical strip applied to the skin to treat depression in adults. I asked to leave the courtroom briefly to take medication.
Bankman-Fried admitted that she did not take her medication with her when she was arrested and attributed it to having a “very busy night”.
His parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, at times appeared frustrated by the prosecution’s arguments, which portrayed him as a flight risk.
Bankman-Fried’s defense attorney pointed out that Bankman-Fried spent weeks in the Bahamas after her business collapsed without attempting to leave the country.
At the end of the hearing, he bowed his head and hugged his parents. A van was waiting in front of the court to pick him up.
Reporting by Jared Higgs in Nassau and Brian Ellsworth in Miami; Edited by Megan Davies, Noeleen Walder and Sam Holmes
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