U.S. authorities are trying to obtain court approval to sell two of the planes belonging to Bankman-Fried, the former head of the FTX. The request was in the form of a letter crafted for the esteemed Judge Lewis Kaplan.
It concerned two aircraft, Bombardier Global 5000 BD-700-1A11 and Embraer EMB-135BJ, all of which are known and linked to Bankman-Fried. The planes, which were bought for $15.9 million and $12.5 million last year, are directly connected to the government’s actions after the caption of Bankman-Fried’s issues.
The rehabilitation order includes the FTX debtors, the former FTX executive, Ryan Salame, and the owner of Bahamian charter flight companies, which worked for Mark Zuckerberg and was used by FTX to transport physical assets.
The fact that prosecutors did not come across any objections, particularly from Bankman-Fried and his legal team, suggests the nature of the request made during the pre-trial hearing. FTX had started upgrades on the aircraft, like advanced wifi and new interiors, which were left unfinished after the fall of FTX in November.
Bankman-Fried was found guilty of obtaining close to seven counts of defrauding the FTX stakeholders in November 2024. On the contrary, the defense law differs and prefers a shorter sentence. If you’d like to plan a hearing date, the sentencing court has set it for March 28.
Also Read: FTX CEO Disputes Bankman-Fried’s FTX Solvency Claims