Sam Bankman-Fried Granted 'Uninterrupted Access' To Depression, ADHD Meds In Jail

Manhattan federal Judge Lewis Kaplan has issued an order to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, directing them to provide Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the disgraced co-founder and former CEO of the crypto empire FTX, with "uninterrupted access to his daily prescribed medications" for depression and ADHD, following a request from his lawyer.

Judge Kaplan ruledon Monday that while in jail, Bankman-Fried must receive his prescribed depression and ADHD medications. This decision came in response to a request made by the defense attorney for the crypto mogul, who emphasized that Bankman-Fried's ability to contribute to his own defense might be compromised without these medications.

Bankman-Fried, who has been taking Adderall for ADHD for three years and using an Emsam patch for depression for over five years, had only brought a limited supply of his medications meant for a few days. Hence, the defense requested the Court to "promptly enter an order directing MDC to ensure that our client has continuous access to the specific medications and dosages that are described in Dr. Lerner's letter," as stated in the letter from his lawyer.

Accompanying the letter from Bankman-Fried's lawyer was a letter from his doctor, who has been providing psychiatric care since 2019. The doctor's letter detailed Bankman-Fried's prescription history.

"For over five years Mr. Bankman-Fried has been prescribed Emsam 9mg/24 hrs transdermal patch for the treatment of depression; and for the past three years, Mr. Bankman-Fried has been prescribed Adderall 10mg tablets, 3-4x/day for the treatment of ADHD. Dr. Lerner observes that without these medications, Mr. Bankman-Fried will experience a return of his depression and ADHD symptoms, which will severely impact his ability to assist in his own defense,'' the doctor's letter said.

Additionally, the doctor disclosed that Bankman-Fried, often known as SBF in the cryptocurrency industry, "has a history of Major Depressive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."

The doctor also revealed instances when Bankman-Fried did not have access to the Emsam patch, resulting in symptoms of depression. "There have been times when Mr. Bankman-Fried did not have access to the Emsam patch and exhibited symptoms of depression, including lethargy, anhedonia, low motivation, and increased ruminations," the letter said.

Bankman-Fried was sent to jail last Friday after his bail bond was revoked due to allegations of witness tampering, where he allegedly leaked the journal of Caroline Ellison, his ex-lover and the former CEO of the crypto hedge fund he co-founded, Alameda Research, to the New York Times. He is set to remain at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn until his trial in October.