Staff Reports
In a surprising move, the US Department of Justice decided to drop all of its charges against Sam Bankman-Fried, a prominent Democratic donor and alleged fraudster. Although he has avoided major legal consequences, he has been known to receive favorable treatment from the authorities. The dropping of these charges doesn't seem to be related to this issue.
In a court filing, the prosecutors stated that the Bahamas government did not intend to extradict Bankman-Fried. This is a technical victory for the banker, as it means that he will not be sent to the US to face the charges. However, this doesn't mean that he is in a position to walk away from his case. The prosecutors also requested a second trial, which would be conducted in 2024.
Biden's DOJ Drops Five Campaign Finance Charges Against Democrat Mega-Donor and Alleged Fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried https://t.co/Di5SVU90ll
— Aerial SharpShooter 🇺🇸🇯🇵🏴☠️ (@MMCBELL) July 31, 2023
Bankman-Fried made a name for himself by giving millions of dollars to progressive causes and Democratic candidates. He also used his customers' money to make his own contributions. A federal indictment against him and other individuals accused them of violating various campaign finance laws.
Although the dropping of the charges may be a relief for the defendant, John Fishwick, a former US attorney, warned that the government still had plenty of evidence against him. This move could also help the government's case by simplifying the matter and presenting a more complete picture of what happened. It's not yet clear if the government will take the same approach with the remaining charges against other prominent individuals.
