1 year ago
Day 15 of the Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) proceedings began with the prosecution continuing its cross-examination of the suspect and concluded with the defence resting its lawsuit and preparing for closing arguments.
The day’s proceedings revolved astir scrutinizing SBF’s narration with the Bahamian government, handling lawsuit funds, and transparency issues. The defence conducted a re-direct introspection to clarify the erstwhile billionaire’s stance connected immoderate of the points raised by the prosecution.
The prosecution besides said it nary longer intends to bring rebuttal witnesses to the stand, which means the proceedings volition apt reason earlier than expected.
Cross-examination continues
The prosecution started the transverse with questions astir SBF’s narration with the Bahamian government, specifically Prime Minister Philip Davis.
SBF acknowledged that helium had cultivated relations with immoderate members of the government. However, erstwhile asked astir discussions related to paying disconnected the Bahamian nationalist debt, SBF claimed not to remember.
The prosecution continued by questioning SBF astir his engagement successful helping the PM’s lad unafraid a job, to which SBF responded that helium had talked with him but did not callback the details.
AUSA Sassoon past asked whether SBF had ever boasted that Ryan Salame was fundamentally a subordinate of the Bahamian government. SBF again claimed helium did not remember.
The prosecution introduced grounds successful the signifier of an exhibit, referred to arsenic “Project Chinchilla Chatter,” which included a connection wherever SBF acknowledged Ryan Salame’s name. SBF admitted to penning the message.
AUSA Sassoon pressed further, asking whether SBF had fixed the Bahamas Prime Minister floor-side seats astatine the Miami Heat Arena. SBF stated that helium did not callback specified an event. However, the prosecution presented a connection wherever SBF mentioned the PM being successful FTX’s court-side seats with his wife.
The enactment of questioning past shifted to SBF’s interactions with salient figures, including Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. SBF confirmed that helium had invited them to an event, mentioning his instauration to Bill Clinton done Michael Kives.
The prosecution played a video featuring SBF alongside Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Katy Perry, and Orlando Bloom to further cement its point.
Sassoon questioned whether SBF allowed the Bahamas Prime Minister to retreat funds. SBF clarified that it was different subordinate of the authorities who sought withdrawals.
The prosecution presented an email allegedly authorizing Bahamian customers to retreat and beryllium made whole, which SBF confirmed. However, SBF explained that this authorization was for a abbreviated period.
Regarding fiscal matters, Sassoon inquired whether banks were reluctant to transact with a crypto exchange. SBF expressed uncertainty astir the meaning of “transact” successful this context. The prosecution besides questioned him astir his actions aft uncovering retired astir the $8 cardinal shortfall.
SBF said helium had learned astir the bug that caused the discrepancy but did not inquire astir it.
The prosecution past focused connected a fiscal substance related to North Dimension, asking if SBF was alert of deposits being directed there. SBF admitted to becoming alert of it astatine immoderate constituent but noted that it did not notation Alameda Research.
The prosecution besides asked SBF if helium had disclosed that Alameda was spending retired of lawsuit deposits. The erstwhile billionaire claimed that helium believed helium had not revealed it and expressed regret astatine not doing so.
The questioning concluded with AUSA Sassoon asking astir the individuals connected some the trading and colony teams. SBF said helium did not callback circumstantial details astir peculiar employees’ roles.
Defense attempts to clarify SBF’s stance
Following the aggravated cross-examination, SBF’s defence squad took the accidental to question his lawsuit during the re-direct examination. It allowed SBF to supply discourse and nuance to his responses and reenforce definite aspects of his testimony.
The defence chiefly addressed concerns regarding SBF’s engagement successful the Robin Hood litigation. SBF explained that his lawyer was assigned to grip the instrumentality of shares to bankruptcy, and his volition was not to asseverate power implicit these shares.
This clarification emphasized that helium was pursuing ineligible procedures regarding the Robin Hood shares.
The defence besides delved into SBF’s familiarity with the AWS database. SBF explained that helium had familiarized himself with the database, indicating a wide knowing of its operations. This penetration was apt provided to shed airy connected SBF’s level of engagement successful the method aspects of the FTX platform.
The re-direct introspection allowed SBF to code the challenges associated with managing lawsuit accounts and the complexity of the cryptocurrency speech business. SBF apt aimed to convey that moving specified a level progressive intricate and multifaceted responsibilities.
Charge consideration
The prosecution and defence took a sidebar for complaint information astatine the extremity of the proceedings. The sidebar revolved astir debates astir the connection utilized successful the indictment, with SBF’s lawyer objecting to charges that omitted the misappropriation theory.
The defence emphasized the request for specificity successful the indictment. However, Judge Kaplan overruled this objection, highlighting the value of clarity successful the charges.
The prosecution raised concerns astir connection successful the indictment related to run concern charges. The prosecution requested that the word “alleged” beryllium stricken erstwhile referring to straw donations. The defence did not entity to this adjustment.
The prosecution besides sought to see a assemblage acquisition connected the conception of conscious avoidance, peculiarly successful airy of SBF’s assertion that helium overheard accusation astir definite fiscal matters but did not instrumentality action. The defence opposed this instruction, but it was yet included successful the charge.
One measurement person to the verdict
With the cross-examination and re-direct introspection complete, the proceedings of SBF moves person to its conclusion. The adjacent signifier volition impact closing arguments, during which some the prosecution and the defence volition contiguous their last arguments to the jury.
The prosecution and the defence estimated that their closing statements would past astir 2 to 3 hours each. However, the anticipation of the proceedings extending into Thursday prompted considerations for Juror 3, who has a formation to be connected the aforesaid day.
While SBF’s lawyer projected seating an alternate juror to accommodate Juror 3’s question plans, the prosecution was not prepared to consent to that idea. As a result, the proceedings whitethorn interruption connected Thursday, depending connected the advancement of closing arguments.
The closing arguments volition supply some sides with the accidental to summarize their cases and transportation the assemblage earlier deliberations begin.
The prosecution besides requested to contiguous a rebuttal aft the defense’s closing arguments. The defence did not entity to the proposal, indicating a willingness to accommodate it.
As the proceedings nears its conclusion, the destiny of Sam Bankman-Fried volition soon beryllium successful the hands of the jury, who volition find the verdict based connected the grounds and arguments presented passim the trial.
The station SBF Trial Day 15 – SBF pleads not blameworthy to each charges arsenic defence rests its case appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.
English (US) 