Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, may spend the foreseeable future on a dumb phone as per a recent proposal in response to his bail.
According to Engadget, Bankman-Fried is being asked by the prosecution and attorneys for permission to use a flip phone or similar non-smartphone device amid concerns.
The Prosecutors In The Justice Department Want To Monitor The Ex-CEO's Activities
Bankman-Fried' attorneys have consented to altering the conditions of his bail arrangement, according to prosecutors involved in his criminal case on Friday.
SBF will be limited to using a "non-smartphone" without internet connectivity, assuming the judge supervising the case approves the modifications.
Moreover, the FTX founder will not be able to use Signal or other encrypted texting services under the new provision in his bail proposal.
The recommendation comes as the court in the case considers how to tighten the conditions of Bankman-Fried's release on bail.
This due to worries that the former millionaire may be using untraceable technological devices to communicate, The New York Post reports.
Last month, prosecutors asserted that Bankman-Fried made two separate internet connections using a VPN, or virtual private network, which prevents outsiders from viewing online activities.
Additionally, they claimed that he sent an encrypted communication to the general counsel of FTX US in January using the texting app Signal, which they claimed could be evidence of witness tampering.
"I would really love to reconnect and see if there's a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other," he said in one message, according to the Justice Department.
According to the plan, Bankman-Fried's phone would only be capable of voice calls and SMS text messages, and a new laptop with restricted functionality would also be provided.
This is going to be "configured so that he is only able to log on to the internet through the use of specified VPNs," which will only allow access to whitelisted websites.
In addition to personal news websites like The New York Times and Netflix, they also contain ones he can use to practice for his case, such Ftx.com.
Read More: Judge Says Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's Bail Could be Revoked
The District Judge Is Taking Steps Further A SBF Allegedly Influenced Potential Witness
In the letter, the parties agreed that Bankman-Fried would be given access to a number of programs, including Zoom, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat, to help him prepare for his case.
The parties also suggested installing monitoring software on the device to keep tabs on any activity as per The New York Post.
Additionally, it was requested that Bankman-Fried's parents provide written statements stating that they will not allow any extra devices into the house or allow access to their own password-protected devices.
Aside from this, it can be remembered that former FTX director of engineering Nishad Singh entered a guilty plea to charges of federal fraud and conspiracy earlier this week.
Engadget notes that Singh is the third member of Bankman-Fried's close group to assist the prosecution in their case.
Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, and Zixiao "Gary" Wang, the co-founder of FTX, pled guilty to fraud charges at the end of the previous year and agreed to assist authorities.
After finding that the disgraced businessman may have influenced possible witnesses, district judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to withdraw SBF's bail and place him in jail before the commencement of his trial.
Related Article: FTX Co-Founder Nishad Singh Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges
