Freeman withdraws bid to have ankle monitor removed

Sep. 23—Free Keene leader Ian Freeman on Thursday dropped efforts to be free of a tracking device strapped to his ankle, after federal prosecutors raised strenuous objections to his efforts to reduce his bail restrictions.

Freeman, who faces federal charges related to money/Bitcoin laundering, had also wanted a judge to allow contact with co-defendants in the case. He has been free on bail since May.

But in a filing earlier this week, federal prosecutors claim Freeman has violated a bail restriction that prohibited any dealing in cryptocurrency. They allege he instructed his girlfriend, Bonnie Kruse, to move Bitcoin from a Blockchain.com account of his.

When contacted by Blockchain for verification, Freeman twice told the organization he was not involved and suggested they contact Kruse through an email. Prosecutors say he was "attempting to thread the needle of plausible deniability."

Prosecutors also relied on an article in New York magazine, where an unnamed source said the church has more than 1,000 Bitcoins, which would translated into $50 million or more.

Freeman and his co-defendants have maintained their innocence and said they will take the case to trial.