Federal prosecutors have revealed their list of witnesses who will testify in the upcoming criminal case against Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, just days before the trial is set to begin.
The prosecutors plan to present testimony from FTX customers and investors who were impacted by the firm’s collapse in November. This testimony will focus on how these individuals understood their relationship with Bankman-Fried and his companies, particularly regarding how they expected their digital assets to be safeguarded.
Additionally, the government intends to present testimony from non-U.S. citizens who will share their expectations regarding the safeguarding of their funds deposited with FTX. One witness is an unnamed citizen of Ukraine, referred to as “FTX-Customer 1,” who is expected to testify remotely due to travel restrictions related to the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Prosecutors also plan to use testimony from certain witnesses who have entered guilty pleas and received immunity from the government. This testimony aims to demonstrate that Bankman-Fried and these individuals conspired to perpetrate the scheme that led to FTX’s failure.
Bankman-Fried’s defense team filed objections to the government’s proposed questions for potential jurors, arguing that the questions were unfair and prejudicial. They specifically took issue with the characterization of Bankman-Fried’s actions as “fraud” rather than alleged fraud and believed the proposed questions were inadequate for identifying potential juror bias.
Bankman-Fried is facing a range of charges, including money laundering, wire fraud, and illegal political donations, with the potential for decades in prison if convicted. His trial is scheduled to begin on October 3.
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