The first day of the Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) trial ended without a final jury being selected, and the process will continue for another day.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York plans to choose 12 jurors and six alternates through the process, which is expected to conclude on Oct. 4.
Judge Lewis Kaplan dismissed several potential jurors on Oct. 3 due to conflicts of interest and other reasons. Many potential jurors said they or their family members had suffered financial losses in the cryptocurrency market.
The selection process, known as voir dire, has raised various topics, from personal beliefs to financial hardships that might impact potential jurors’ ability to serve. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon named several potential witnesses and individuals connected to the case, highlighting the extensive reach of the investigation.
It remains uncertain if SBF will testify, although he has previously declared his innocence. The trial is anticipated to last up to six weeks, with opening statements expected soon after jury selection concludes.
Prosecutors argue this is one of history’s most significant financial fraud cases. SBF could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison if found guilty on all charges.
In other news…
Bankman-Fried’s Plea Deal Possibilities:
On the initial day of Sam Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial, prosecutors declared that they never considered offering a plea deal to the former FTX CEO.
This is a significant revelation, especially since some of his previous associates have accepted plea deals and are anticipated to be witnesses during the trial.
Former SEC Official on SBF’s Trial:
John Reed Stark, an ex-SEC official, predicts that SBF, the former CEO of FTX, will face conviction in the upcoming trial.
Key reasons include testimonies from former FTX and Alameda executives who have confessed their involvement, incriminating evidence from the new FTX CEO, John Ray III, and SBF’s public appearances that might have inadvertently provided more evidence for the prosecution.
Pre-Trial Defense Requests for Bankman-Fried:
SBF’s defense team has made several requests before his criminal trial, challenging and seeking clarification on some of the judge’s rulings.
Among these are reconsiderations about evidence linked to FTX’s regulation in the U.S., assets from FTX’s bankruptcy proceedings, and the inclusion of his charitable activities.
The lawyers have also challenged the prosecutor’s motion to let FTX customers testify on their expectations of how the cryptocurrency exchange would manage their assets.
They also resisted the inclusion of video testimony from an unnamed Ukrainian user, citing Sixth Amendment concerns and potential undue sympathy from jurors given the geopolitical situation in Ukraine.
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