In a letter dated October 15, Bankman-Fried's legal team asked a US judge for permission to obtain long-release Adderall to help him concentrate during his ongoing criminal trial.
IIn a letter dated October 15, Bankman-Fried's legal team asked a US judge for permission to obtain long-release Adderall to help him concentrate during his ongoing criminal trial. His attorneys emphasized that the absence of the prescribed stimulant during trial hours had hampered Bankman-Fried's capacity to "meaningfully participate" in his defense.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, is currently on trial for alleged fraud and market manipulation. His lawyers have recently raised concerns about his ability to focus during the trial, citing his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a contributing factor. Bankman-Fried has been prescribed Adderall, a medication commonly used to treat ADHD, but his lawyers argue that he needs a higher dose than what he has been receiving.
If the extended-release dose could not be provided or proven ineffective, the legal team requested a one-day trial postponement on October 17. Given his history of major depressive illness and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Judge Lewis Kaplan previously granted Bankman-Fried's access to Adderall and antidepressant medicines while in prison.
Bankman-Fried's trial, which began on October 3, has already seen testimony from several former members of his inner circle, including FTX's former technology chief Gary Wang and Alameda's former CEO Caroline Ellison, who is also Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend. The trial is expected to continue until at least October 26, with prosecutors potentially resting their case by then.
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