Sam Bankman-Fried’s Lawyers Hash Out His Transfer to U.S. After Confusion in Court

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried inched closer to being transferred into U.S. custody to face criminal charges related to the cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse, after a chaotic court hearing here Monday in which his local lawyer appeared at odds with his U.S. legal team.

Mr. Bankman-Fried has agreed to be extradited, according to a person familiar with the matter, and plans were being fleshed out by his legal team after the day’s court proceedings. Mr. Bankman-Fried’s lawyers hope to have a new hearing on the matter as early as Tuesday, the person said.

Jerone Roberts, who represents Mr. Bankman-Fried in the Bahamas, agreed to draft the necessary documents after having a conference call with the former chief executive and his U.S. lawyers, the person said. 

Over the weekend, people familiar with the matter said Mr. Bankman-Fried was planning to consent to extradition to the U.S. but cautioned that his legal plans were still in flux and could change.

Monday’s hearing suggested Mr. Bankman-Fried’s U.S. lawyers and Mr. Roberts weren’t in perfect alignment. Mr. Roberts told Magistrate Judge Shaka Serville that he was surprised to see his client in court.