Sam Bankman-Fried’s father and brother, as well as Donald Trump’s former spokesman Anthony Scaramucci, are among potential witnesses in the cryptocurrency exchange founder’s fraud trial, according to a list read by a prosecutor at the court on Tuesday.
Scaramucci, Bankman-Fried’s father, Joseph Bankman, and her brother Gabriel Bankman-Fried were on a list of potential witnesses that prosecutor Danielle Sassoon read in court during jury selection at the start of Bankman-Fried’s trial to see if any potential jurors knew them.
The list included both proposed prosecution and defense witnesses, and there is no guarantee that those named will testify.
The trial, which is expected to last about six weeks, comes almost a year after the FTX collapse shocked markets and shattered Bankan-Fried’s reputation. Selection for the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates will continue Wednesday, followed by opening statements.
Federal prosecutors say Bankman-Fried embezzled clients from his FTX cryptocurrency exchange from its founding in 2019 until its bankruptcy in November 2022 to prop up his Alameda Research hedge fund, buy luxury properties and donate more than $100 million. dollars to American political candidates.
Sam Bankman-Fried stands as he is introduced to potential jurors on Tuesday.REUTERS
Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. He acknowledged inadequate risk management but denied stealing funds. His lawyers have said in court papers that they plan to argue that FTX’s treatment of client funds was appropriate and that others at FTX and Alameda bore most of the blame for its failure.
The defendant’s parents – Bankman and Barbara Fried, both Stanford Law School professors – were sued last month by FTX’s current management, which accused them of using company funds to enrich themselves. Lawyers for Bankman and Fried called the allegations “completely false.”
Scaramucci briefly served as White House communications director during the Trump administration. His investment firm, SkyBridge Capital, once had a stake in FTX.
Bankman-Freid’s parents, Joseph (above) and Barbara, were sued last month by current FTX management. Getty Images Anthony Scaramucci’s SkyBridge Capital once had a stake in FTX.REUTERS
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan on Tuesday selected a group of nearly 50 qualified jurors, after dismissing several who had personal or professional obligations or who he thought could not be fair. That included a man who said he and his brother lost money through cryptocurrency investments.
“It almost ruined him financially,” the man said. When Kaplan asked if the man could nevertheless be fair, he responded: “I really want to believe he could, but to be completely honest, I think that would get to me.”
Gabriel Bankman-Fried was on a list of potential witnesses that prosecutor Danielle Sassoon read in court. Protect yourself against pandemics
Bankman-Fried was not offered a plea deal
At the beginning of the proceedings, Kaplan told Bankman-Fried in open court that it would ultimately be her decision to testify in her own defense, and asked Bankman-Fried if she understood.
“Yes,” the 31-year-old former billionaire responded. He was dressed in a suit and striped tie, with his signature curly, unkempt hair cut into a neater cut.
Prosecutor Nicolas Roos said the two sides never entered into talks about a possible plea deal and that no such offer was made to Bankman-Fried.
Three former members of Bankman-Fried’s inner circle — Alameda co-director Caroline Ellison and former FTX executives Gary Wang and Nishad Singh — reached plea deals with the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan and are ready to testify against him.
The jury will also be able to hear from former FTX attorneys Daniel Friedberg and Ryne Miller, former FTX COO Constance Wang, former Alameda co-head Sam Trabucco, and Ryan Salame, former head of the Bahamian subsidiary of FTX, according to the list Sassoon read in court. .
Salame pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy charges but did not agree to cooperate.
Bankman-Fried has been in custody since Aug. 11, after the judge determined he had likely tampered with witnesses, including by sharing Ellison’s personal writings with a reporter. Ellison and Bankman-Fried are former romantic partners.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn