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U.S. regulators on Monday sued SolarWinds, a Texas-based technology company whose software was breached in a massive 2020 Russian cyberespionage campaign, for fraud for failing to disclose security deficiencies ahead of the stunning hack. Detected in December 2020, the SolarWinds hack penetrated U.S. government agencies including the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and more than 100 private companies and think tanks. Koch added that “we look forward to defending his reputation and correcting the inaccuracies in the SEC’s complaint." Brown's current title at SolarWinds is chief information security officer. Capitalizing on the supply-chain hack, the Russian cyber operators then stealthily penetrated select targets including about a dozen U.S. government agencies and prominent software and telecommunications providers.

Persons: SolarWinds, Tim Brown, Brown, Alec Koch, Koch, Gurbir S, Grewal, “, ”, Biden, Chad Wolf Organizations: Securities and Exchange Commission, Justice and Homeland Security, SEC, Fortune, New, Homeland Locations: Texas, Russian, New York, SolarWinds, cyberattacks, Austin , Texas, North America, Europe, Asia

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at court in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud and five counts of conspiracy. Prosecutors have said he looted billions of dollars in FTX customer funds to prop up his hedge fund, Alameda Research, make speculative venture investments, and contribute to U.S. political campaigns. His decision to testify in his own defense is risky, as it opens him up to probing cross-examination by prosecutors. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Mark Cohen, FTX, Fried, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, Prosecutors, Alameda Research, Reuters, U.S, District, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

"We thought that we might be able to build the best product on the market," Bankman-Fried said during his six hours of testimony in Manhattan federal court. Bankman-Fried on Friday testified that while Ellison provided him a spreadsheet she was considering sending to a lender, he did not look at it in detail. On Friday, Bankman-Fried sought to place much of the blame for Alameda's failure on Ellison. Bankman-Fried was questioned by both sides on Thursday without jurors present as the judge assessed what parts of his testimony would be admissible. Prosecutors will get their first chance to question Bankman-Fried with jurors present when they cross-examine him next week.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Caroline Ellison, Mark Cohen's, Ellison, Gary Wang, Wang, Nishad Singh, FTX, Cohen, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Alameda Research, Prosecutors, Alameda, FTX, Thomson Locations: Alameda, Manhattan, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried could take stand at fraud trial over FTX collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at court as lawyers push to persuade the judge overseeing his fraud case not to jail him ahead of trial, at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty and maintained that while he made mistakes running FTX, he never intended to steal funds. They say Alameda looted FTX funds through special trading privileges on the exchange. Cohen said the defense plans to call three brief witnesses before Bankman-Fried takes the stand. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Fried, Mark Cohen, Bankman, Mark Troiano, Cohen, FTX, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Alameda Research, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Alameda, Manhattan

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried to Take the Stand in Fraud Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is on trial for fraud and conspiracy charges after the collapse of his crypto empire last year. WSJ’s Alexander Osipovich breaks down what happened to FTX and what to look for as the trial unfolds. Photo illustration: Annie ZhaoFTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried will testify at his criminal trial, his defense team said Wednesday, in what many legal observers see as a Hail Mary attempt to persuade jurors that he never intended to defraud the crypto exchange’s customers out of billions of dollars. Bankman-Fried will likely testify over Thursday and Friday, Cohen said. Federal prosecutors said they would rest their case Thursday morning.

Persons: Sam Bankman, WSJ’s Alexander Osipovich, Annie Zhao FTX, Fried, Mary, Mark Cohen, Cohen Organizations: New Locations: New York

Companies Trump Organization Inc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen testified on Tuesday that he manipulated the values of the former U.S. president's real estate properties to match "whatever number Mr. Trump told us." Testifying as a key witness in New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil fraud case against Trump, Cohen said Trump tasked him and other former Trump Organization executives with doctoring financial statements to boost the value of the company's holdings and secure better real estate premiums. Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom when the trial ended for the day, Trump called Cohen a "disgraceful fellow." During about a half hour of cross-examination on Tuesday, Cohen - a disbarred lawyer - rattled off case law to support an objection by the attorney general to a question by Trump lawyer Alina Habba. James is seeking at least $250 million in fines, a permanent ban against Trump and his sons Donald Jr and Eric from running businesses in New York and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and the Trump Organization.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Michael Cohen, Trump, Letitia James, Cohen, I'm, intently, Allen Weisselberg, James, Donald, COHEN, Colleen Faherty, Alina Habba, Nixon, Richard Nixon, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, Donald Jr, Eric, Jack Queen, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Nick Zieminski, Lisa Shumaker, Rod Nickel Organizations: Companies Trump Organization, Trump, Trump Organization, Democrat, Court, REUTERS, Supreme, Thomson Locations: U.S, New, New York, Manhattan, New York City, Russia, United States

[1/2] Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the Trump Organization civil fraud trial, in New York State Supreme Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., October 24, 2023. Cohen, who cut ties with Trump five years ago, will undergo more cross-examination by Trump's lawyers determined to undermine his credibility. Cohen testified on Tuesday that Trump "arbitrarily" inflated the value of the Trump Organization's real estate assets to secure favorable insurance premiums. James is seeking at least $250 million in fines, a permanent ban against Trump and his sons Donald Jr and Eric from running businesses in New York and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and the Trump Organization. Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Segar, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Trump, Letitia James, Alina Habba, Arthur Engoron, James, Donald Jr, Eric, Engoron, Jack Queen, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S, Trump Organization, Court, REUTERS, Trump, New, Thomson Locations: New York, Manhattan, New York City, U.S, Russia

Senator Bob Menendez is set to enter a plea on Monday to a new indictment charging him with conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent for the Egyptian government. In an Oct. 12 statement, Menendez said "piling new charge upon new charge does not make the allegations true." Nadine Menendez and one of the businessmen, Wael Hana, pleaded not guilty to the foreign agent charge on Oct. 18. Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, individuals must register with the department if they act as "an agent of a foreign principle." In return, the businessman put Nadine Menendez on the payroll of a company he controlled, prosecutors said.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Craig Hudson, Menendez, Sidney Stein, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hana, Hana, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Democratic, Capitol, REUTERS, New, New Jersey Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Foreign, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, New Jersey, Jersey, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers avoid challenges to 'cartoon' villain image
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Defense lawyers will have a chance to put forward a competing narrative when they present their case, beginning as soon as Thursday. A STRATEGIC CHOICEAllowing specific unfavorable accounts by prosecution witnesses to go unchallenged on cross-examination could be a strategic choice by the defense, according to experts. During opening statements, Cohen told jurors of the prosecutors: "They'd have you think he was quite the villain, or, more precisely, almost a cartoon of a villain. "It was pretty humiliating," said Singh, who has pleaded guilty to fraud charges. Ellison, who has also pleaded guilty to fraud, said Bankman-Fried told her that his signature sloppy dress and wild mop of curly locks was an "important part of FTX's image."

Persons: Sam Bankman, Andrew Kelly, Fried, Bankman, doesn't, Jordan Estes, Kramer Levin, Mark Cohen, Cohen, Rachel Maimin, Lowenstein Sandler, Sam, gooder, Nishad Singh, Singh, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Ellison, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham, Amy Stevens Organizations: FTX, Manhattan, REUTERS, Alameda Research, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Manhattan, Washington, Alameda, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried sought 'justifications' for missing funds, lawyer testifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency exchange FTX's former top lawyer testified on Thursday that its founder Sam Bankman-Fried asked him to come up with "legal justifications" for why it was missing $7 billion in customer funds four days before the company declared bankruptcy. Sun said he told Bankman-Fried later that day that he could not identify any legal justifications. Sun's testimony could complicate Bankman-Fried's defense that he had a good-faith belief that Alameda's use of FTX customer funds was appropriate. They have said Bankman-Fried is considering testifying in his own defense after the prosecution rests its case on Oct. 26. Sun testified earlier on Thursday that Bankman-Fried told him that the company had kept its customer funds safe and separate from its own assets, and that he never approved the lending of FTX customer funds to Alameda Research.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Andrew Kelly, Fried, Apollo, Sun, FTX, Bankman, Danielle Sassoon, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham Organizations: FTX, Manhattan, REUTERS, Alameda Research, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bankman, Alameda, Manhattan, Bahamas, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried trial jury sees his profane message about regulators
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It was one of several private messages that Bankman-Fried sent to a reporter for the news website Vox on Twitter, the social media platform now called X, that the defense sought to keep away from the jury during the trial in Manhattan federal court. In the trial, which began on Oct. 3, Bankman-Fried stands accused of looting billions of dollars in FTX customer funds to make investments, donate to U.S. political campaigns and prop up his hedge fund, Alameda Research. In one of the messages, Bankman-Fried told the reporter, "fuck regulators" and quickly added in another message, "they make everything worse." Bankman-Fried wrote that his prior statements in favor of regulating cryptocurrency were "just PR," meaning public relations. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Andrew Kelly, Fried, Vox, Danielle Sassoon, Christian Everdell, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham Organizations: FTX, Manhattan, REUTERS, Twitter, Alameda Research, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Manhattan, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer says FTX investments were not 'reckless'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 17 (Reuters) - FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer on Tuesday said the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange's investments were not "reckless and frivolous," pushing back against testimony by a former executive who called its spending on marketing and celebrity endorsements excessive. This is the third week of Bankman-Fried's trial in Manhattan federal court on charges related to the looting billions of dollars in customer funds to make investments, donate to U.S. political campaigns and prop up his hedge fund, Alameda Research. Bankman-Fried, who has pleaded not guilty, has argued that while he made mistakes running FTX, he never intended to steal funds. Jurors have already heard from Gary Wang, FTX's former chief technology officer, and Caroline Ellison, Alameda's onetime chief executive officer and Bankman-Fried's former girlfriend. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Nishad Singh, Tom Brady, Mark Cohen, Singh, Fried, K5, Cohen, Kendall Jenner's, Gary Wang, FTX's, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, Miami Heat, NFL, Defense, Tuesday, K5, Alameda Research, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Bankman, Manhattan

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried directed political donations despite $13 bln 'hole', ex-colleague testified
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Singh said another FTX executive had told him the deals were meant to help spur user growth. 'I WAS A STRAW DONOR'Bankman-Fried's trial, which started on Oct. 3, has so far focused largely on how prosecutors say Bankman-Fried allowed Alameda to plunder FTX customer funds. Singh gave jurors a window into Bankman-Fried's political operation. He said another FTX executive, Ryan Salame, had access to his bank account to make donations via wire transfers. "I knew that the money for those donations was coming from customer funds."

Persons: Sam Bankman, Andrew Kelly, Fried, Nishad Singh, Bankman, Singh, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, Steph Curry, Larry David, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Michael Kives, Hillary Clinton, FTX, Gary Wang, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Gabriel, Gabriel Bankman, Ryan Salame, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Matthew Lewis, Stephen Coates Organizations: FTX, Manhattan, REUTERS, Alameda Research, U.S, Democratic, Prosecutors, Alameda, Miami Heat's, District, Monday, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Alameda, Fried, . U.S, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried jury sees photo of FTX founder with Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW York, Oct 16 - The jury at Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial on Monday saw a photograph of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder with singer Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom at the 2022 NFL Super Bowl. Singh is the third former member of Bankman-Fried's inner circle to testify at the trial, which started on Oct. 3. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud and five counts of conspiracy tied to FTX's November 2022 collapse. Singh said another FTX executive had told him the deals were meant to help spur user growth. Since his trial, Bankman-Fried has been seen during testimony typing on a laptop and whispering to his lawyers.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Andrew Kelly, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Prosecutors, Nishad Singh, FTX's, Singh, Gary Wang, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Fried, Perry, Michael Kives, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, Steph Curry, Larry David, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Nick Zieminski Organizations: FTX, Manhattan, REUTERS, Bowl, Alameda, Miami Heat's, District, Bankman, Prosecutors, New York Times, Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Los Angeles, Brooklyn's, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried trial: scenes from Caroline Ellison's time on the stand
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ellison wore a gray blazer and carried a Poland Spring water bottle to and from the witness stand. She did not look at Bankman-Fried in any of the instances when she passed him at the defense table. Bankman-Fried spent much of Ellison's testimony typing on a laptop or whispering to his defense lawyers. Three of the jurors appeared to close their eyes at times as Sassoon quizzed Ellison about spreadsheets showing Alameda's assets and liabilities. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Caroline Ellison, Sam Bankman, Ellison, District Judge Lewis Kaplan's, Fried, Kaplan, Joseph Bankman, Barbara Fried, Danielle Sassoon, Sassoon quizzed Ellison, We'll, " Sassoon, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Alameda, Federal Court, Reuters, Alameda Research, District, The Stanford University, Stanford Law, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Alameda, New York

Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing billions of dollars from customers at his now-defunct FTX cryptocurrency exchange. "He didn't think rules like 'don't lie' or 'don't steal' fit in to that framework," said Ellison, who ran Bankman-Fried's crypto-focused hedge fund Alameda Research. Ellison said Bankman-Fried asked her to falsify Alameda's financial statements to keep lenders at bay amid a downturn in cryptocurrency markets in 2022. BANKMAN-FRIED THOUGHT HE COULD BECOME U.S. PRESIDENTBankman-Fried was "very ambitious," Ellison said, adding that he "thought there was a 5% chance he would become president some day." Prosecutors have said that Bankman-Fried used customer funds as he pleased, and that the resulting shortfall caused FTX's collapse.

Persons: Caroline Ellison, Sam Bankman, Fried, Ellison, Bankman, Prosecutors, ELLISON Ellison, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Alameda, Federal Court, Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Alameda Research, Toyota Corolla, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Alameda, Bahamas, FTX, Binance, China, New York

Former crypto hedge fund Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison finds and points out Sam Bankman-Fried during Bankman-Fried's fraud trial over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 10, 2023, in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Caroline Ellison, the former co-head of Sam Bankman-Fried's hedge fund and a pivotal witness in his trial on fraud charges tied to the collapse of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange, is scheduled to retake the stand on Wednesday morning. Ellison, the former co-chief executive of Alameda Research, testified on Tuesday that she was part of a multibillion-dollar conspiracy led by Bankman-Fried to defraud FTX customers, investors and lenders. Ellison said the hedge fund took about $10 billion in FTX customer funds to repay its debts and make investments. A third cooperating witness, former FTX engineering chief Nishad Singh, is also expected to testify at the trial, which could last up to six weeks.

Persons: Caroline Ellison, Sam Bankman, Jane Rosenberg, Ellison, FTX, Bankman, shrugged, Fried, Mark Cohen, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Alameda, Federal Court, REUTERS, Alameda Research, Bankman, Manhattan U.S, Stanford University, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: FTX, New York City, U.S, Alameda, New York

☆ The days of rising interest rates could soon be over
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

What’s happening: US Treasury rates are white hot — 10-year Treasury yields are near their highest levels since 2007. It also means more expensive mortgage rates. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on 10-year US Treasuries. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. US mortgage rates are at 23 year-highs, and home affordability is at its lowest level since 1984.

Persons: haven’t, Philip Jefferson, ” That’s, Lorie Logan, Raphael Bostic, ”, “, ” Bostic, Mary Daly, Bonds, What’s, Birkenstock, Elisabeth Buchwald, Megan Penick, Robinson, Rachel Ramirez, It’s, they’re Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Fed, Financial, CME, Treasury, New York Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Consumer, Dallas, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, American Bankers Association, San Francisco Fed, Index, PPI, CPI, New York Stock Exchange, Renaissance, Nature Communications Locations: New York, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia

Ellison said the hedge fund, Alameda Research, took about $10 billion in FTX customer funds to repay its debts and make investments. Gary Wang, FTX's former technology chief, testified that Bankman-Fried falsely tweeted that FTX was "fine" in November as the exchange faced surging demand for withdrawals. Bankman-Fried left in 2017 to found Alameda, and Ellison followed when he offered her a job as a trader. "He was very ambitious," Ellison told the court. In testimony that could undermine that argument, Ellison said she always consulted Bankman-Fried on big decisions and always deferred to him.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Caroline Ellison, Ellison, FTX, Fried, Mark Cohen, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Bankman, Jane, Joe Biden's, Cohen, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Jody Godoy, Noeleen Walder, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Alameda Research, Manhattan U.S, Prosecutors, Alameda, Bankman, Wall, Ellison, New York Times, Times, District, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Alameda, FTX

In the memo, Bankman-Fried called Alameda's failure to hedge its bets a "mistake." When Everdell asked if the decision not to hedge was Ellison's, Wang replied that she was Alameda's CEO at the time. Prosecutors said last week they planned to call Ellison to take the stand once Wang finishes his testimony. She was seen entering the courthouse on Tuesday morning wearing a blue baseball cap and sunglasses, and carrying a blue thermos. A third former member of Bankman-Fried's inner circle, ex-FTX engineering chief Nishad Singh, is also expected to testify at trial.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Caroline Ellison, Christian Everdell's, Gary Wang, Everdell, Wang, Ellison, Prosecutors, Fried, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Nishad Singh, FTX, Christian Everdell, Mark Cohen, Luc Cohen, Jody Godoy, Noeleen Walder, Matthew Lewis, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Alameda Research, New York Times, U.S, District, Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, Bankman, Alameda, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Manhattan, Brooklyn's, Alameda, Washington ,

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend set to take stand as fraud trial's star witness
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial is set to resume on Tuesday with testimony from his former colleagues at the now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, including his onetime girlfriend Caroline Ellison. Prosecutors said last week they planned to call Ellison, the former co-chief executive officer of Bankman-Fried's Alameda Research hedge fund, to take the stand once Wang finishes his testimony. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said that likely amounted to witness-tampering, and on Aug. 11 revoked Bankman-Fried's bail. A third former member of Bankman-Fried's inner circle, ex-FTX engineering chief Nishad Singh, is also expected to testify at trial. Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Prosecutors, Ellison, Wang, Ellison's, Fried, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Nishad Singh, FTX, Christian Everdell, Mark Cohen, Luc Cohen, Jody Godoy, Noeleen Walder, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Alameda Research, New York Times, U.S, District, Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, Bankman, Alameda, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Alameda, Brooklyn's, Manhattan, Washington ,

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial: How Judge Lewis Kaplan has presided in FTX case
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan presides over the fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 3, 2023 in this courtroom sketch. Last year, he presided over a civil trial in which the actor Kevin Spacey defeated a sexual abuse claim. When one prospective juror said they did not understand how cryptocurrency works, Kaplan said, "You probably have a lot of company in this courtroom." Several times during the first three days of testimony, Kaplan urged defense lawyers to move more quickly as they asked prosecution witnesses questions he deemed repetitive. Before the trial began, Kaplan issued several key rulings against the defense, including excluding some of their proposed expert witnesses and barring them from making certain arguments at trial.

Persons: District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Sam Bankman, Jane Rosenberg, District Judge Lewis, levity, Kaplan, Fried, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Kevin Spacey, Tom Brady, David Lisner, Matt Huang, You've, Caroline Ellison's, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: U.S, District, Federal Court, REUTERS, Harvard Law School, New, Thomson Locations: FTX, New York City, U.S, Manhattan, Staten, New York

"Assets were not fine, because FTX did not have enough assets for customer withdrawals." On Friday, Wang testified that on Nov. 6, 2022, FTX executive Nishad Singh knocked on his door and told him customers were trying to withdraw their money faster than FTX could process the transactions. He said no other FTX users had those special privileges, which the exchange did not disclose to its investors or customers. After FTX declared bankruptcy on Nov. 11, 2022, Wang testified that at Bankman-Fried's direction, he turned over some remaining FTX customer assets to the Bahamas, where FTX was based. Wang said Bankman-Fried said liquidators and regulators there were more amenable to letting him stay in charge of FTX.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Nicolas Roos, Gary Wang, Jane Rosenberg, FTX, Wang, FTX's, Nishad Singh, CoinDesk, Bankman, WANG, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Christian Everdell, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Mark Cohen, Sam, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, David Gregorio, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S, Federal Court, REUTERS, Alameda Research, Washington , D.C, District, Bankman, Thomson Locations: FTX, New York City, U.S, Manhattan, Washington ,, Alameda, Bahamas, Fried, United States, New York

Sam Bankman-Fried watches as Assistant U.S. Attorney Thane Rehn makes his opening remark in Bankman-Fried's fraud trial over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 4, 2023 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial kicked off this week, nearly a year after the FTX cryptocurrency exchange he founded declared bankruptcy in a collapse that shocked markets and left the 31-year-old wunderkind's reputation in tatters. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing billions of dollars in customer funds to prop up his crypto-focused hedge fund, Alameda Research. "Sam and his colleagues were building the plane as they were flying it," Cohen said in his opening statement on Wednesday. "The conversation began with me bringing up the large debt owed by Alameda to FTX and asking something like, 'are things OK?'"

Persons: Sam Bankman, Attorney Thane Rehn, Jane Rosenberg, Fried, Rehn, Mark Cohen, Sam, Cohen, Adam Yedidia, Fried's, Yedidia, Matt Huang, Huang, Gary Huang, Wang, Luc Cohen, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S, Attorney, Federal Court, REUTERS, Alameda Research, Manhattan U.S, ALAMEDA, Paradigm, Thomson Locations: Bankman, FTX, New York City, U.S, Thane, Alameda, New York

Wang, 30, is one of three FTX insiders who have pleaded guilty to fraud charges and entered a cooperation agreement with the government. Wang testified on Thursday that while at FTX, he created software code at the direction of Bankman-Fried that gave "special privileges" to Alameda, allowing it to withdraw unlimited funds. While Wang is the first cooperator to take the stand, jurors have so far heard from three other witnesses. He said Bankman-Fried appeared worried and told him the companies were "not bulletproof" as they had been the year before. Zac Prince, the founder of crypto lender BlockFi, is among the witnesses expected to testify after Wang finishes when the trial resumes next Tuesday.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Gary Wang, Wang, Fried, FTX, Matt Huang, Adam Yedidia, Zac Prince, Jody Godoy, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Alameda Research, Prosecutors, Alameda, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Alameda, FTX

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