Sam Bankman-Fried ska vittna i den pågående brottmålsrättegången
- Sam Bankman-Fried kommer att vittna som en del av sitt försvar och kommer att korsförhöras av åklagarna.
- Rättegången mot Bankman-Fried ställdes på is den 19 oktober och är planerad att återupptas den 26 oktober.
- Om SBF blir dömd kan han få flera decennier eller till och med en livstid bakom lås och bom.
Attorneys representing former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) have confirmed that he will testify in the ongoing criminal trial as part of his defense. SBF’s lawyer revealed this during a conference call on Wednesday. Bankman-Fried’s decision to stand trial will allow federal prosecutors to cross-examine him about the collapse of FTX.
Bankman-Fried’s lawyers reportedly agreed to allow him to take the stand after they were able to secure an adequate quantity of his ADHD medicine. His lawyers had previously claimed that the 31-year-old could not effectively participate in his defense given that he did not have appropriate access to the medication.
SBF’s legal team plans to call on three key witnesses to take the stand after the prosecutors conclude their case on Thursday morning. Prosecutors reportedly have one more witness, an FBI agent.
Bankman-Fried’s defense lawyer Mark Cohen claims the defense will likely fråga the three possible witnesses—a Bahamas-based lawyer, Joseph Pimbley of the litigation consulting firm PF2 Securities, and a witness who would testify regarding the roles and responsibilities of former FTX employees—in no more than three days.
Bankman-Fried’s proposed move to take the stand is often seen as a dangerous move. Federal prosecutors will have the opportunity to cross-examine the FTX founder, which many believe leaves him vulnerable and decreases his chances of coming out unscathed.
On the other hand, the former FTX executive and crypto billionaire will be able to share his version of events leading up to the collapse. Several of Bankman-Fried’s senior executives and friends, such as Nishad Singh and Caroline Ellison, CEO of Alameda Research, have been called to testify by the prosecution thus far.
Åklagare åtalade Sam Bankman-Fried för flera fall av bedrägeri och penningtvätt på grund av hans förmodade roll i kollapsen av FTX. Åklagare hävdar att SBF stal miljarder i kundtillgångar och använde medlen för att finansiera högprofilerade sponsringsavtal, investera i fastigheter och göra stora politiska bidrag. Dessutom har åklagare tillhandahållit flera bevis för att stödja deras påståenden, inklusive interna register och signalkommunikation.
Bankman-Fried har erkänt oskyldig till sju fall av konspiration, bedrägeri och penningtvätt. Den före detta kryptoaffärsmannen kan möta ett liv bakom galler om han blir skyldig. Vissa kryptoentusiaster undrar vilka bevis Bankman-Fried skulle kunna erbjuda juryn för att motbevisa versionen av händelser som tillhandahållits av andra vittnen.
SBF har en historia av rösta his opinions on social media, particularly following the demise of FTX. The 31-year-old conducted interviews with reporters, launched a Substack newsletter, and sent out several tweets attempting to explain FTX’s collapse.
Hans försvarsteam har ett enormt jobb med att övertyga juryn mot överväldigande fakta.