DOJ Eyes Seizure of Ex-FTX Chief’s Two Luxury Jets in Ongoing Criminal Probe

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In the ongoing criminal case against Sam Bankman-Fried, federal prosecutors have unveiled a forfeiture bill, indicating the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) intent to commandeer two luxury jets belonging to the ex-FTX chief. Specifically, the DOJ has its sights set on a Bombardier Global 5000 BD-700-1A11 and an Embraer Legacy 135BJ.

Prosecutors Set Sights on Seizing Bankman-Fried’s Luxury Aircraft

On the evening of October 4, the DOJ detailed its plans to seize these high-end aircraft from Bankman-Fried, co-founder and former CEO of FTX. The court order highlighted that these jets are implicated in multiple charges, specifically counts 1-4 and 7, of the federal indictment.

In addition to the Bombardier and Embraer jets, the DOJ is also keen on acquiring their associated maintenance and engine logs. This development comes on the heels of earlier reports, post-FTX’s downfall, which suggested that Bankman-Fried’s personal aircraft had made multiple trips between the Bahamas and Argentina.

Contradicting these claims, Bankman-Fried had asserted he never left the Bahamas. Adding another layer to the narrative, there were whispers that FTX’s private jets were repurposed to ferry Amazon packages to top-tier FTX personnel, given Amazon’s refusal to deliver to the Bahamas. In a related twist, Ryan Salame, FTX’s former co-CEO, reportedly had to part with his private jet as a bargaining chip in his plea negotiations.

What do you think about Sam Bankman-Fried losing his jets to forfeiture? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.