Federal judge Ronnie Abrams of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York formally withdrew from adjudicating the case on Friday afternoon, just one day after Bankman-Fried was released from custody to stay with his parents in their Palo Alto home as he awaits trial on eight criminal charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and violations of federal campaign finance laws. 

Abrams’ husband, Greg D. Andres, is a partner at law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, which advised FTX in 2021, according to Abrams’ order. Though Andres himself did not personally advise FTX, Abrams chose to recuse herself from the case “to avoid any possible conflict, or the appearance of one.”

The order also stated that Davis Polk & Wardwell previously represented parties “that may be adverse to FTX and Defendant Bankman-Fried,” though Andres allegedly did not represent those clients either. 

A new judge from the Southern District of New York will now have to be selected to oversee Bankman-Fried’s trial. A timeline has not yet been established as to when that selection will be made.