NASSAU, Bahama — Following the extradition of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to the United States (US), the US Embassy in Nassau commended the government of The Bahamas for its commitment to the rule of law and the judicial system for ensuring that US citizens enjoy the benefits of due process, The Nassau Guardian reported on Thursday, December 22, 2022.
“The United States and The Bahamas share a long history of law enforcement cooperation,” the embassy said in a release. “This cooperation includes everything from daily joint patrols of our borders, to high-profile criminal cases and extraditions.”
The release added: “The extradition treaty between the US and The Bahamas has been in force since 1994 – nearly 30 years. This is only one of several treaties and agreements between our two nations that allow us to work hand in hand to enforce the law.
“The US Embassy commends The Bahamas government for its commitment to the rule of law and, more immediately, its logistical assistance in addressing a sensitive situation. The Attorney General’s Office was critical to recent successes. We also appreciate the Bahamian judicial system ensuring our citizens enjoy the benefits of due process.
“Through timely communication and coordination, US and Bahamian authorities achieved our mutual objective: to respect and uphold the law.”
Bankman-Fried, 30, better known as SBF, is wanted in the US on fraud charges concerning the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange that resulted in customers losing billions of dollars. If convicted, he could be jailed for 115 years.
In a statement last night, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said, “The Royal Bahamas Police Force arrested SBF, a United States citizen, on 12 December 2022 following notification in the form of a diplomatic note from the United States that it had filed criminal charges against him.
“The United States requested that a provisional arrest warrant be issued for SBF in anticipation of his extradition pursuant to an extradition treaty between the two nations. After the arrest, SBF subsequently waived his right to challenge his extradition to the United States.
“The Bahamas has determined that the provisional arrest and subsequent written consent by SBF to be extradited without formal extradition proceedings satisfies the requirements of the treaty and our nation’s Extradition Act.”
