Judge denies request from SBF lawyers to delay sentencing

U.S. federal judge Lewis Kaplan refused to delay the sentencing of Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, after his lawyers asked it to be rescheduled from March 28 to "early-mid May 2024."

Bankman-Fried is scheduled for a pre-sentence interview with the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System, which should recommend a sentence, on Thursday. His lawyers argued that the defense needs more time to get ready for the sentencing process.

The defense needs "to collect materials necessary for the sentencing submission and to prepare for the presentence interview," the lawyers wrote, arguing that government disclosures needed for the sentencing won't be filed until Feb. 2. 

Bankman-Fried is also still facing a second trial set to begin on March 11 over charges related to alleged bank fraud and the bribing of Chinese government officials. His lawyers argued that the government has yet to decide if it intends to proceed. 

No previous objections

Judge Kaplan noted the defense did not have previous objections to the sentencing date, and he said there is enough time.

"The defendant has already been granted one extension for the filing of sentencing submissions," Kaplan wrote in his order, adding that Bankman-Fried has had six months to prepare for the pre-sentencing interview. 

Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty by a jury of defrauding FTX customers and investors on Nov. 2, with the trial exposing a vast misuse of customer funds. FTX filed for bankruptcy last November.