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News

Bankman-Fried Prosecutors Have Critical Evidence Alleging His Bribes

September 27, 2023 - Around 2 mins mins to read

Key Points:

  • Sam Bankman-Fried prosecutors can discuss his political donations in his fraud trial.
  • Evidence of Bankman-Fried’s alleged bribery attempt is permitted as it relates to his motive.
  • The defense cannot highlight Bankman-Fried’s charitable work in court.
A U.S. judge has ruled that Sam Bankman-Fried prosecutors can introduce evidence of political donations made by him, the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, in his upcoming trial.
Bankman-Fried Prosecutors Have Critical Evidence Alleging His Bribes
Bankman-Fried Prosecutors Have Critical Evidence Alleging His Bribes 2

Judge Permits Mention of Bribes Alleged by Bankman-Fried Prosecutors

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan stated that these donations are relevant to the fraud charges Bankman-Fried is facing, which involve the alleged misappropriation of billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits that Bankman-Fried prosecutors mentioned earlier.

According to Judge Kaplan, the evidence of Bankman-Fried’s use of customer funds for political contributions directly relates to the wire fraud scheme, establishing the defendant’s motive and alleged fraudulent intent.

Additionally, the judge approved the prosecution’s request to present evidence that Bankman-Fried attempted to bribe a Chinese official to access frozen funds worth $1 billion. While no charges have been filed in relation to this incident, the judge deemed it relevant to the case as it could shed light on his motives for misappropriating customer funds.

Philanthropy Evidence Barred in High-Profile Case

However, in a setback for the defense, Judge Kaplan ruled that Bankman-Fried cannot present evidence of his philanthropic work and charitable donations to the jury, as it may potentially lead to jury confusion.

Furthermore, the judge sided with the prosecution in allowing the introduction of evidence from FTX‘s television commercials, dismissing Bankman-Fried’s argument that they should be excluded.

Bankman-Fried initially faced charges related to campaign finance violations, but those charges were dropped following his extradition from the Bahamas. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include fraud and conspiracy. The trial is scheduled to commence on October 3, 2023.

Coincu will continue to update the situation related to Sam Bankman-Fried, you can find out more information through this article.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

FTX

Lewis Kaplan

prosecutor

Sam Bankman-Fried

Avatar of Harold

Author

Harold

With a passion for untangling the complexities of the financial world, I've spent over four years in financial journalism, covering everything from traditional equities to the cutting edge of venture capital. "The financial markets are a fascinating puzzle," I often say, "and I love helping people make sense of them." That's what drives me to bring clear and insightful financial journalism to the readers of Coincu.
News

Bankman-Fried Prosecutors Have Critical Evidence Alleging His Bribes

Key Points:

  • Sam Bankman-Fried prosecutors can discuss his political donations in his fraud trial.
  • Evidence of Bankman-Fried’s alleged bribery attempt is permitted as it relates to his motive.
  • The defense cannot highlight Bankman-Fried’s charitable work in court.
A U.S. judge has ruled that Sam Bankman-Fried prosecutors can introduce evidence of political donations made by him, the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, in his upcoming trial.
Bankman-Fried Prosecutors Have Critical Evidence Alleging His Bribes
Bankman-Fried Prosecutors Have Critical Evidence Alleging His Bribes 4

Judge Permits Mention of Bribes Alleged by Bankman-Fried Prosecutors

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan stated that these donations are relevant to the fraud charges Bankman-Fried is facing, which involve the alleged misappropriation of billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits that Bankman-Fried prosecutors mentioned earlier.

According to Judge Kaplan, the evidence of Bankman-Fried’s use of customer funds for political contributions directly relates to the wire fraud scheme, establishing the defendant’s motive and alleged fraudulent intent.

Additionally, the judge approved the prosecution’s request to present evidence that Bankman-Fried attempted to bribe a Chinese official to access frozen funds worth $1 billion. While no charges have been filed in relation to this incident, the judge deemed it relevant to the case as it could shed light on his motives for misappropriating customer funds.

Philanthropy Evidence Barred in High-Profile Case

However, in a setback for the defense, Judge Kaplan ruled that Bankman-Fried cannot present evidence of his philanthropic work and charitable donations to the jury, as it may potentially lead to jury confusion.

Furthermore, the judge sided with the prosecution in allowing the introduction of evidence from FTX‘s television commercials, dismissing Bankman-Fried’s argument that they should be excluded.

Bankman-Fried initially faced charges related to campaign finance violations, but those charges were dropped following his extradition from the Bahamas. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include fraud and conspiracy. The trial is scheduled to commence on October 3, 2023.

Coincu will continue to update the situation related to Sam Bankman-Fried, you can find out more information through this article.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.