Thanks! I'd like to know that too. I think it's BS. Somebody working at that prison had to put the two of them together, either in person at the prison or on the phone. Inmates aren't allowed personal phones or computers. The Bureau of Prisons should be reporting who allowed this without their approval, but it's likely they're protecting that person, and punishing Bankman-Fried instead. While inmates in State prisons have phone access on their units or in the yard to call who they want, all phone calls are monitored, and can be recorded as well. I doubt Bankman-Fried is allowed to walk around his unit, and use a phone whenever he likes, or he'd be doing more interviews, and we haven't heard about any of them.
“Inmates aren’t allowed personal phones or computers”
Well, that’s not exactly accurate.....in my state anyway.
As a prison ministry volunteer I saw the DOC provide tablets to qualified inmates.....however that privilege was closely monitored and restricted, and video conferencing like the one detailed here would absolutely not be allowed.