Ex-director of BitMEX cryptocurrency exchange asks judge not to send him to prison

Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes has asked the judge of the New York court hearing his case not to send him to jail, but to give him a sentence that would allow him to travel.

According to Bloomberg, Hayes’s lawyers filed a request for probation «without home detention or imprisonment» after the plea deal. It is likely that the deal will still result in a 6- to 12-month sentence «in accordance with federal law.»

«This case has already had a very severe and widely publicized impact on Mr. Hayes' personal life and on the BitMEX business he co-founded,» the 65-page statement reads.

Hayes surrendered to stand trial last April and was released on $ 10 million bail as part of a pre-arranged deal with prosecutors.

Along with BitMEX co-founders Benjamin Delo and Samuel Reed, Hayes pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act and admitted to failing to establish and maintain an anti-money laundering program at the exchange.

All three agreed to pay a $ 10 million fine. According to Bloomberg, in an attempt to gain loyalty from the judge, Hayes' legal team provided the court with a letter from his mother, as well as photos and letters from supporters and fans.