Police in The Bahamas have taken SBF into custody less than 24 hours before he was set to provide a digital testimony to US Congress.

No more video games for Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF)—On December 12, 2022, the Office of the Attorney General of The Bahamas announced the arrest of SBF. SBF’s arrest by the Royal Bahamas Police Force follows receipt of formal notification from the United States that has filed criminal charges against SBF. This is based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY. The sealed indictment is purported to be unsealed tomorrow morning. 

Pursuant to our nation’s Extradition Act, it is deemed appropriate to seek SBF’s arrest and hold him in custody. As a formal request for extradition is made, The Bahamas states its intent to process the formal request for extradition promptly, as pursuant to Bahamian law and its treaty obligations with the United States. SBF is expected to be extradited to the United States. 

Together, The Bahamas and the United States express their continued and shared interest in holding accountable those involved in the FTX scheme. Separately, the United States is pursuing criminal charges against SBF individually while The Bahamas is conducting its own regulatory and criminal investigation concerning FTX alongside the support of the United States. 

Photo Credit ~ Reuters on July 5, 2022. See https://www.reuters.com/technology/sam-bankman-frieds-sudden-turn-white-knight-detainee-2022-12-13/.