Alleged Crypto Fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried is Given Judge Who Oversaw Jeffrey Epstein Case and Let Kevin Spacey Walk
Shane Trejo
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Alleged cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried has been assigned a judge who oversaw a high-profile Jeffrey Epstein case and allowed Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey walk in a case where he was accused of sexually abusing a child.
District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan has been assigned the case against Bankman-Fried, the FTX co-founder who has been accused of fraud for allegedly swindling investors and stealing their deposits. Bankman-Fried has received glowing coverage from the media despite the fraud allegations after donating tens of millions to Democrats during the 2022 midterm elections.
Kaplan oversaw a case by Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre against Prince Phillip. Kaplan eventually signed the papers to dismiss the lawsuit after a settlement was reached. He also oversaw a case against Kevin Spacey from actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged that Spacey molested him when he was 14 in the 1980s. The jury exonerated Spacey after Rapp expressed sympathy for Spacey’s attorneys and attempted to withhold evidence showing that Spacey had been accused multiple times of sexual assault during the case.
Kaplan was appointed to the bench in 1994 by former President Bill Clinton, who has also been tied to Epstein’s pedophile network.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against Bankman-Fried on Dec. 13 after the crypto mogul spent weeks going on a publicity tour denying culpability in the collapse of the FTX exchange. He faces up to 55 years in prison if he is convicted of all felony charges.
“One month ago, FTX collapsed, causing billions of dollars in losses to its customers, lenders, and investors. Now, a federal grand jury in New York has indicted the former founder and chief executive officer of FTX and charged him with crimes related to the phenomenal downfall of that one-time cryptocurrency exchange, including fraud on customers, investors, lenders, and our campaign finance system. As today’s charges make clear, this was not a case of mismanagement or poor oversight, but of intentional fraud, plain and simple,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.
“As the indictment today alleges, Bankman-Fried knowingly defrauded the customers of FTX.com through the misappropriation of the customer deposits to pay expenses and debts of a different company he also owned as well as make other investments. If you deceive and defraud your customers, the FBI will be persistent in our efforts to bring you to justice,” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said.
The DOJ is talking tough against Bankman-Fried, but the fix may be in as a different set of rules apply to elites connected to prominent Democrats.
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