Mystery Men Drive into Barricade Outside Bankman-Fried’s Home
• Three men drove their car into a metal barricade outside Sam Bankman-Fried’s parent’s home.
• The unidentified trio were able to drive away before security guards could record the car’s license plate.
• Lawyers representing some of the largest English-language media outlets wrote a letter to U.S. District Court judge Lewis Kaplan requesting the names of the guarantors.
On January 20th, 2023, an incident occurred outside the home of Sam Bankman-Fried, the former FTX CEO, that caused shockwaves throughout the security personnel. Three men drove their car into the metal barricade outside Bankman-Fried’s parent’s home, where he is currently under house arrest, and according to a filing to the federal court by Bankman-Fried’s lawyers, the trio got out of the car after hitting the barricade and told the security guard guarding the home: “You won’t be able to stop us.” Despite the security guard’s best efforts, the unidentified men were able to flee from the scene before their car’s license plate could be recorded.
The incident highlighted the security risks faced by Bankman-Fried, as well as by those linked to him, including the two individuals who secured Bankman-Fried’s $250 million bond. In response to the incident, lawyers representing some of the largest English-language media outlets, including Bloomberg, CNBC, Reuters and the Financial Times, wrote a letter to U.S. District Court judge Lewis Kaplan requesting the names of the guarantors.
The media lawyers argued that the public’s right to know Bankman-Fried’s guarantors significantly outweighed their privacy and safety rights. In their filing, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers pointed out that given the notoriety of this case and the extraordinary media attention it is receiving, it is reasonable to assume that the non-parent sureties will also face significant privacy and safety concerns if their identities are disclosed.
The incident has left many people feeling uneasy, and the response from Bankman-Fried’s lawyers, as well as from the media, has indicated the gravity of the situation. While the identities of the three men remain unknown, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for increased security for those in high profile positions.