Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, has requested that the names and personal information of individuals writing letters in support of her sentencing hearing be redacted to protect their privacy. The hearing is scheduled for September 24.
In a filing submitted on September 9 to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Ellison’s attorney, Anjan Sahni of WilmerHale, argued that publicly disclosing the details could expose Ellison and her supporters to harassment. Sahni noted that Ellison has been the target of intense media scrutiny and attempts to release her private information.
Ellison, who pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges in December 2022 following the collapse of FTX, has mostly stayed out of the public eye since her testimony at the trial of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried in October 2023.
“Ms. Ellison’s friends should not be subject to harassment and doxing because they have written to the Court,” Sahni stated, asking the court to keep the names and identifying information private. The defense also seeks to redact medical information, details of her living situation, and any organizations with which she is affiliated.
If her sentencing proceeds on September 24, Ellison could be the third defendant in the FTX and Alameda case to face prison time. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in March, and former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame is set to begin a 90-month sentence on October 13, though his lawyers are contesting his guilty plea.
Ellison pleaded guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, commodities fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering related to the misuse of funds between FTX and Alameda. While the maximum sentence for these charges is 110 years, legal experts believe she is unlikely to receive the full term due to her cooperation with authorities.
Meanwhile, former FTX engineering director Nishad Singh and co-founder Gary Wang, who also pleaded guilty, are scheduled for sentencing on October 30 and November 20, respectively. Wang’s hearing is expected to be the last in the FTX case.
