Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) had a lot going against him well before the start of his criminal trial: the ire of many in the crypto space, suspicion from United States policymakers, and negative attention from some in the media looking for clickbait angles to associate with the former FTX CEO.
None of that may have had any impact on the case his attorneys planned to present at trial, which so far doesn’t seem to have given jurors much of anything to counter the bulk of the narrative put forth by prosecutors. With few exceptions, the testimonies from witnesses for the Justice Department have been straightforward even for those unfamiliar with the intricacies of crypto trading and investments.
Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison provided statements admitting to providing fudged numbers while former FTX Chief Technology Officer Gary Wang claimed SBF directed efforts to allow Alameda to “withdraw unlimited funds.” Former FTX engineering director Nishad Singh also testified regarding the “excessive” purchases Alameda made in endorsements from celebrities.
Related: Michael Lewis' new book puts a positive spin on Sam Bankman-Fried
"[Sam] said he was willing to take large coin flips," Ellison told jurors on Oct. 10, regarding investment risks. "He talked about being willing to flip a coin and destroy the world, as long as a win would make it twice as good.”
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Through the court proceedings, defense lawyers Mark Cohen and Christian Everdell frequently called for objections and sidebars — a time
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