TradingTwist, NEW YORK, January 7 – For victims of Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the FTX bitcoin exchange, to contact law authorities, the U.S. government has developed a website. Federal prosecutors may use the website instead of contacting the victims one by one, according to an order issued late Friday night by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan.
Prosecutors had claimed that it would be “impracticable” to contact everyone FTX may owe money.
According to federal law, prosecutors are required to get in touch with potential crime victims to let them know about their rights, including the ability to get restitution, have their cases heard in court, and be shielded from criminals.
The website advised people to get in touch with the victim/witness coordinator at the United States Attorney’s office if they thought they might have been scammed by Samuel Bankman-Fried, also known as “SBF.” By late Friday afternoon, the website was operational.
In relation to the collapse of FTX in November, Bankman-Fried, 30, has entered a not-guilty plea to eight counts of wire fraud and conspiracy.
According to the prosecution, he defrauded investors by lying about FTX’s financial situation and took billions in deposits from FTX customers to pay off obligations for his hedge fund, Alameda Research.
The former millionaire admitted to poor risk management but said that he did not see himself as criminally responsible.
Both Bankman-attorneys Fried’s and the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office did not immediately reply to calls for comment on Friday.
