The claim: The DOJ dropped all charges versus Sam Bankman-Fried duetothefactthat he contributed to Joe Biden
A July 27 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) reveals a screenshot of a Time post within a post from X, previously Twitter. The shortarticle is about Sam Bankman-Fried, creator of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
“SBF was a significant Biden donor,” checksout the shortarticle. “The previous crypto king made one of the biggest contributions to Joe Biden’s governmental project in 2020, contributing $5.2 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.”
The X post states, “I’ll offer everybody 50 guesses why the Biden DOJ may have dropped its charges versus Sam Bankman-Fried.”
The Instagram post amassed more than 7,000 likes in 5 days. Similar posts haveactually been shared on Instagram and Facebook.
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Our score: False
While one criminal charge was dropped, Bankman-Fried is still dealingwith trial on other charges, according to a representative for the districtattorney’s workplace. The charge was dropped since of actions by Bahamian authorities, not due to an independent DOJ choice.
Bankman-Fried will still face 2 criminal trials, 12 criminal counts
Bankman-Fried was detained in December 2022 after his cryptocurrency exchange collapsed. He was charged with 8 criminaloffenses, consistingof cash laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. federalgovernment.
On July 26, districtattorneys revealed he would no longer face the 8th count, a criminal financing charge, according to Reuters. The Justice Department hasn’t dropped all charges versus him, .
Nicholas Biase, a representative for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, informed USA TODAY the claim is incorrect.
“As showed on the public docket, Samuel Bankman-Fried stays criminally charged by this workplace,” Biase stated in an e-mail. “The just count the federalgovernment will not pursue is count 8, the project financing charge. The accused dealswith trial on the staying indictment and superseding indictment in October of this year and February of 2024.”
Fact check: No, UnitedStates help to Ukraine wasn’t washed by crypto company FTX and sentout to Democrats
Bankman-Fried contributed to numerous Democratic projects, consistingof President Joe Biden’s, however the choice to drop one of his charges was made for an totally various factor.
Prosecutors chose to drop the charge after they were notified authorities in the Bahamas did not thinkabout it to be consistedof in Bankman-Fried’s extradition, the Associated Press reported. So, “in keeping with U.S. treaty responsibilities to the Bahamas,” they selected not t