Sam Bankman-Fried Hit with Additional Indictment Amid Chinese Bribery Allegations

cryptonews.com:

In a dramatic development, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is facing a new indictment for bribery, adding to the 12 charges he already faced. 

The former FTX CEO was arrested last year on charges of fraud, conspiracy, and trying to evade U.S. campaign laws. 

He was released on bond, with the terms of his release being a hotly debated subject between his defense team and the prosecutors.

According to the superseding indictment, Bankman-Fried is accused of attempting to bribe a Chinese government official. 

The 13-count indictment now includes a charge for conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). 

Bankman-Fried has yet to be arraigned on five of the 13 total charges against him. 

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 30.

Prosecutors have accused Bankman-Fried of directing the transfer of at least $40 million of cryptocurrency to benefit Chinese government officials. 

The 31-year-old former billionaire had previously pleaded not guilty to eight counts related to the collapse of FTX. 

Prosecutors claim Bankman-Fried stole billions of dollars in customer funds to cover losses at Alameda Research, his crypto-focused hedge fund.

Amid ongoing legal proceedings, Bankman-Fried's bail conditions have been a point of contention.

Recently, his lawyers reached an agreement with U.S. prosecutors allowing him to remain at home while restricting the use of certain electronic devices and apps.

These proposed conditions, yet to be approved by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, would prohibit Bankman-Fried from using a smartphone with internet access and limit him to voice calls and text messaging. 

He would also be required to use a basic laptop with monitoring software and refrain from using