SBF's Bahamian prison reported as having 'harsh' conditions and 'degrading treatment
According to reports, Doan Cleare, the commissioner of correctional services for the Bahamas, stated that since 2021, most institutions have undergone renovations and no longer experience "rodent problems."
SBF's new residence
Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried might spend up to two months in the country's Fox Hill Jail after being refused bail in a Bahamas Magistrate Court; this prison is known for its "tough" working conditions and alleged incidences of physical abuse against inmates. After a hearing on December 13, according to Bahamas authorities, Bankman-Fried was sent to Fox Hill's medical wing. SBF's legal representative said that the former CEO had taken medicine before his detention on December 12, including Adderall and anti-depressants. Still, it is uncertain if the former CEO would spend any jail time. He spent his time in the prison's medical center, another site, or both.
Conditions at Fox Hill were "severe," according to a 2021 human rights assessment from the U.S. State Department (1). Investigations revealed that there were too many inmates living in the institution and that there was also insufficient sanitation and poor medical treatment. Additionally, physical assault by jail guards was claimed in the study. According to the study, maximum-security male cells for up to six inmates were sized around six by ten feet and had no beds or restrooms. "Inmates used buckets to eliminate human feces.
Absolutely baffling that SBF settled in the Bahamas and chose to stay even after the FTX collapse, presumably knowing the conditions of the prison.
— The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) December 14, 2022
Clearly didn’t believe for one second he would be arrested.
He’s likely praying for extradition now. https://t.co/4QSg2isycf
What's to happen next?
Inmates lamented the scarcity of linen and mattresses. Some prisoners who were forced to lie on the ground got bedsores. Rats, larvae, and insects were rife in the cells, and sanitation was widespread. The sole jail in the Bahamas is Fox Hill, while the Carmichael Road Detention Center was designed for transient detainees. However, according to reports, Doan Cleare, the commissioner of correctional services for the Bahamas, stated that none of the institutions had "problems with rodents" because most had been refurbished in response to the State Department assessment.
Noooo... SBF is free. Bahamas gov is corrupted. Don't think SBF will be in jail for real. They are protecting him instead
— Koffi Boris Ayi (@BKA1202) December 14, 2022
As extradition processes with the U.S. advance, Bankman-Fried will probably stay in detention in the Bahamas until February. The Justice Department, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Securities and Exchange Commission have filed charges against the former CEO of FTX for misleading lenders and investors. Following FTX's liquidity problem and eventual bankruptcy, there have been widespread calls for Bankman-arrest Fried in the cryptocurrency community.
The previous CEO engaged in an "apology tour" on prominent media platforms practically up to even though many drew attention to what they perceived as discrepancies and lies in his claims at the time of his detention by police. There are several conspiracy theories on social media about SBF's destiny in the Bahamas or his future return to the United States. Some people believe he would try to bribe his way out of jail. He may receive a 115-year sentence if extradited to the United States and proven guilty on all counts.