Attorneys for FTX founder Samuel Bankman-Fried filed courtroom papers Friday, Sept. 1, opposing a number of motions by federal prosecutors to confess particular proof at his upcoming trial on fraud and conspiracy fees.
Bankman-Fried’s attorneys argued prosecutors shouldn’t be allowed to introduce proof associated to fees beforehand dropped or severed from the case. These embrace alleged violations of the International Corrupt Practices Act for bribing officers within the Bahamas, unlawful marketing campaign finance donations, and financial institution fraud related to FTX’s U.S. affiliate operation.
The protection stated admitting such proof can be “irrelevant, prejudicial, and confuse the jury.”
Prosecutors additionally shouldn’t be permitted to “cherry-pick” parts of FTX’s phrases of service to confess as proof whereas excluding different components, the legal professionals stated. They argued the total phrases of service doc is related.
Moreover, the protection objected to the prosecution’s “effort to confess broad classes of rumour proof” with out offering specifics.
Bankman-Fried’s crew argued the prosecution must be barred from excluding protection proof associated to trade norms, Bankman-Fried’s intent to repay prospects, involvement of authorized counsel in firm issues, and different matters related to the protection.
They contended most of the prosecution’s requests had been untimely and overly broad. The protection stated such issues must be denied or restricted till particular proof is offered at trial.
Bankman-Fried, 30, has pleaded not responsible to fees that he illegally diverted large buyer deposits from FTX to make lavish actual property purchases, donate cash to politicians, and make dangerous trades at Alameda Analysis, his cryptocurrency hedge fund buying and selling agency.
The protection argued federal prosecutors are unfairly making an attempt to confess solely proof favorable to their case whereas excluding exculpatory proof central to Bankman-Fried’s protection. His legal professionals stated this infringes on Bankman-Fried’s proper to current his model of occasions to the jury.
Bankman-Fried faces trial in October in Manhattan federal courtroom. He’s accused of defrauding buyers and FTX prospects out of billions of {dollars}. He was extradited from the Bahamas in December.
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