Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, will only be charged with felony tax offenses and is eligible for immediate release if the $250,000 bond is paid, however, she’s not allowed to leave the United States.
On December 21, a plea agreement between Ellison and the Southern District of New York US Attorney’s Office was made public. The former Alameda executive will not be held accountable for any of the serious allegations, which could have resulted in a 110-year prison sentence for the defendant.
The lawyer accused Ellison of seven offenses. Two of them for participating in a scheme to perpetrate wire fraud against FTX clients as well as the actual wire fraud.Two more for participating in a scheme to defraud Alameda Research’s lenders through wire fraud as well as the actual wire fraud.
She was accused of conspiring to conduct commodities fraud in count 5, and securities fraud against FTX equity investors in count 6. She might face a conspiracy to achieve a money laundering accusation on the seventh count.
In return for Ellison’s cooperation—the full disclosure of all the data and files the Office has requested—the Attorney’s Office consents not to prosecute her on any of the seven offenses.
The arrangement does not provide Ellison defense against any further charges that he could be subject to from other authorities. It also forbids any potential criminal tax prosecution, should such prosecution result from the judicial procedures.
The Office won’t object to Ellison being released under his bail, which includes a $250,000 bond, a prohibition on leaving the country, and the surrender of his travel documents.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, is now in the custody of the FBI and traveling back to the United States. He will be taken right away to the Southern District of New York to appear before a court.
