• Judge Lewis Kaplan has approved surveillance software to be installed on Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents’ phones.
• The software will track every minute of their activity, including keystrokes, browser history, and other calls.
• This is to ensure Bankman-Fried does not breach the conditions of his bail.
Judge Approves Surveillance Software for FTX Co-Founder’s Parents’ Phones
Judge Lewis Kaplan has approved the implementation of surveillance software on Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents’ phones in order to meet the conditions of his bail. This software will track every minute of their activity across browsers, messaging, and calls in order to ensure that he does not breach these conditions.
Software Capabilities
The software will log keystrokes from all activity on the phone as well as monitor unauthorized application installations, internet browser history, iMessage conversations, voice calls and FaceTime video calls. A technical consultant will review these logs at least three times a week for any breaches of the bail conditions.
Difficulty Finding Appropriate Software
Bankman-Fried’s lawyers initially had difficulty finding suitable surveillance software for his parents’ phones that would take a photo every five minutes as requested. However they found an alternative solution that would still effectively be able to monitor Bankman-Fried’s activities while abiding by the requirements set out by Judge Kaplan.
Increased Interest Around Cell Phones
Due to increasing interest around Bankman-Fried’s access to cell phones, Judge Kaplan noted that there was “probable cause” to believe he was involved in attempted witness tampering when he contacted a former general counsel of FTX back in late January 2021. Additionally it was highlighted that Bankman-Fried had access to a “garden of electronic devices” with access to the internet at his parents’ home.
Conclusion
Given these events and subsequent approval from Judge Kaplan, surveillance software has now been successfully implemented on Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents’ cell phones in order for him to abide by the newly revised bail conditions set out for him