Attorneys for Sam Bankman-Fried Request Access to Adderall During His Fraud Trial – Lawyers representing Sam Bankman-Fried have sent a letter to Judge Lewis Kaplan on Sunday, urging that the FTX founder be granted permission to have his prescribed medication available to him during his ongoing fraud trial. They argue that his ability to concentrate is severely hindered without it.
In their official submission, the defense disclosed that Bankman-Fried suffers from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has been prescribed Adderall, which should be taken throughout the day. However, over the past two weeks of the trial, he has only been allowed to take the medication once in the early morning before going to court.
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“Mr. Bankman-Fried has been doing his best to remain focused during the trial for the past two weeks, despite not having his prescribed dose of Adderall during trial hours,” the letter read. “However, as we approach the defense case and the critical decision of whether Mr. Bankman-Fried will testify, the defense has a growing concern that because of Mr. Bankman-Fried’s lack of access to Adderall he has not been able to concentrate at the level he ordinarily would.”
The legal team representing the defendant reported that they have made efforts to address the matter with correctional authorities but have not received any feedback. They put forward a suggestion that their client should receive an extended 12-hour dose of Adderall on Monday morning before the trial reconvenes. However, they emphasized that there is no assurance that prison officials will accommodate this request, nor is it guaranteed to be effective.
“If the current proposal does not work, either because the extended-release dose is not provided or it fails to have the desired effect, we respectfully request that trial be adjourned for one day on Tuesday, October 17, to find a solution that will work for the remainder of trial,” the letter stated. If the aforementioned request is not granted, the legal document seeks the court’s intervention to permit Bankman-Fried’s legal team to administer the medication to him at the courthouse on trial days.
This filing occurs as Bankman-Fried’s trial on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud enters its third week. He is facing prosecution in connection to the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, last year, and could potentially receive a prison sentence of up to 115 years if found guilty. The requirement for medication became a topic of discussion during his initial court appearance in the Bahamas last December when he sought approval to use a patch containing prescribed medication he had been deprived of since his arrest.
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It’s worth noting that Bankman-Fried’s prepared statements for Congress also mentioned his use of a patch medication called Emsam for depression, although it remains uncertain whether he is still taking or prescribed Emsam at present. Apart from facing challenges in obtaining his prescribed medication, Bankman-Fried has encountered difficulties adhering to his stringent vegan diet while in custody, resulting in a diet largely consisting of bread, water, and peanut butter.