Virgil Griffith, a co-founder of , on Monday, has been granted conditional bail by a judge at the US District Court in New York.
Reported by the Inner City Press, the bail amount was set at $1 million secured by the homes of his father and sister.
Violating the United States’ sanctions
Griffith was arrested on Thanksgiving day and the prosecutors brought charges against him for traveling to and how to dodge sanctions using digital currencies in a conference organized by the government in Pyongyang. He was booked for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
He first appealed to the court for bail was denied on December 26, however, on Monday, Judge Vernon S. Broderick under several pre-release conditions.
In the latest bail hearing, the prosecutors pushed the judge for not granting any bail due to flight risk. They also cited Griffith’s intention of renouncing US citizenship and purchasing a passport of St. Kitties and Nevas.
Despite the arguments, the judge ordered him to remain in his father’s house in Alabama and also permitted him to use his passport card. He also allowed Griffith access to email despite resistance from the prosecutors.
Judge Broderick: There are factors militating for bail. Griffith turned himself in. A $1 million bond secured by sister’s and parent’s houses. And perhaps he can use the computer, with monitoring. Secure the wallets in Singapore.
AUSA thumbing out messages…
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress)
The district judge, however, barred him from entering the state of California.
Despite the granting of bail, it is still not clear when he will be released from custody, given the pre-release procedures.
Griffith arrest created a controversy in the crypto arena, however, many well-known figures including Vitalik Buterin supported his release.
I refuse to take the convenient path of throwing Virgil under the bus, because I firmly believe that that would be wrong. I’m signing. Reasoning below.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin)
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