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REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial is in the homestretch, with U.S. prosecutors and defense lawyers expected on Wednesday to present closing arguments to jurors over whether the FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder stole billions of dollars from customers. Prosecutors have accused him of stealing $8 billion in one of the biggest financial frauds in U.S. history. During his second day of testimony on Monday - when the prosecution began its cross-examination - Bankman-Fried said "I don't recall" at least 28 times. Closing arguments probably will take several hours, and jurors are not expected to get the case before Thursday. He has been jailed since August after Kaplan revoked his bail, having concluded that he likely tampered with witnesses.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Danielle Sassoon, Jane Rosenberg, FTX, Mark Cohen, Sassoon, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Alameda Research, Prosecutors, District, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Manhattan, Alameda, FTX, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried grilled on 'cozy' relationship with Bahamas officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | 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/Jane Rosenberg Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 31 (Reuters) - FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was grilled on Tuesday about what a U.S. prosecutor called his "cozy" relationship with officials in the Bahamas, where the cryptocurrency exchange was based before its November 2022 collapse. Sassoon asked. Bankman-Fried testified on Tuesday he could not remember whether he offered to pay off the Bahamas' national debt. Sassoon at one point asked Bankman-Fried whether he had "cultivated a cozy relationship" with the Bahamian government - a question to which the defense objected. Bankman-Fried testified that he had spent time with Bahamian officials and became close with "some of them."

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Danielle Sassoon, Jane Rosenberg, Sassoon, Gary Wang, Bankman, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, Alameda Research, FTX's, Miami Heat National Basketball Association, Bahamian, District, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bahamas, Manhattan, Alameda, Washington, New York

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried testifies in his fraud trial over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at federal court in New York City, U.S., October 27, 2023 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowOct 30 (Reuters) - FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is set on Monday to resume testifying at his fraud trial on charges related to the cryptocurrency exchange's collapse last year. Here are five key moments from Bankman-Fried's testimony so far. HIGH-END HOUSING AND ENDORSEMENT DEALSBankman-Fried testified that FTX corporate cash paid for high-end housing for employees in the Bahamas and endorsement deals. "We didn't care if a user withdrew funds and used them to buy muffins, to pay business expenses, to invest or anything else," Bankman-Fried testified.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Jane Rosenberg, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, PEOPLE, Alameda Research, Prosecutors, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, FTX's, Bahamas, Alameda, ALAMEDA, New York

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

Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, leaves federal court in New York City, U.S., February 9, 2023. Prosecutors allege Bankman-Fried misled FTX customers about the safety of their assets before the exchange filed for bankruptcy in November 2022. Alameda had borrowed several billion dollars of FTX customer assets to repay its lenders the month before, she said. "We have a long history of safeguarding client assets and that remains true today," he said in the thread. Ellison testified at trial that by the summer of 2022, Alameda was drawing from FTX customer funds to make venture investments.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Mike Segar, Fried, Gary Wang, FTX's, FTX, Wang, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Ellison, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Daniel Wallis Organizations: FTX, REUTERS, Prosecutors, Alameda, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Alameda, 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

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

☆ US Says It Wants Forfeiture of Billionaire Russian Oligarch's $300 Million Superyacht
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Luc CohenNEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States on Monday sought the forfeiture of a $300 million superyacht it says is controlled by billionaire Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, who is under U.S. sanctions. He amassed much of his wealth through a stake in Russian gold producer Polyus. Kerimov was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's activities in Syria and Ukraine. Those sanctions barred Kerimov from accessing the U.S. financial system. A spokesman for Khudainatov said in a statement on Monday that the vessel was "unlawfully seized" by the DOJ.

Persons: Luc Cohen NEW, Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, Vladimir Putin, Kerimov, Polyus, Eduard Khudainatov, Evgeny Kochman, Kochman, Khudainatov, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Luc Cohen NEW YORK, Authorities, Ukraine, Forbes, U.S . Treasury Department, U.S . Department of Justice, Millemarin Investments, Yachts, Prosecutors, DOJ Locations: United States, U.S, Fiji, Washington, Moscow, Manhattan, United, San Diego, Ukraine, Syria, Russian, Millemarin, New York

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

☆ US judge approves Deutsche Bank $75 million settlement with Epstein accusers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Luc Cohen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Deutsche Bank on Friday won final approval from a U.S. judge for a $75 million settlement it reached with victims of Jeffrey Epstein who had accused the German company of facilitating the late financier’s alleged sex trafficking. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Deutsche bank is seen in Hong Kong, China July 8, 2019. Epstein had been a Deutsche Bank client from 2013 to 2018, after being a JPMorgan Chase client for 15 years. Deutsche Bank has said it made an error in taking on Epstein as a client. Rakoff granted preliminary approval to New York-based financial services company JPMorgan’s $290 million settlement over similar claims in June.

Persons: Jeffrey Epstein, Tyrone Siu, Jed Rakoff, ” Rakoff, Epstein, Jane Doe, David Boies, Rakoff Organizations: YORK, Deutsche Bank, Friday, Deutsche, REUTERS, U.S, JPMorgan Chase, JPMorgan, U.S . Virgin Locations: U.S, Hong Kong, China, Manhattan, York, New York

☆ Judge raises possibility of imprisonment for Trump for violating gag order, NBC reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | October | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Despite this order, last night I learned the offending post was never removed from a website. This is a blatant violation of the gag order. The trial could lead to the dismantling of Trump's business empire as he seeks to regain the presidency in 2024. The frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination for the presidency was also hit with a partial gag order in a federal criminal case accusing him of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington on Monday barred him from verbally attacking U.S. prosecutors, court staff and potential witnesses, pointing to disparaging social media posts.

Persons: Donald Trump, Brendan McDermid, Donald Trump's, Trump, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, Letitia James, Christopher Kise, Chuck Schumer, Kise, James, Donald Jr, Eric, Tanya Chutkan, Chutkan, Kanishka Singh, Luc Cohen, Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, NBC News, Trump, Trump Organization, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York, U.S, Washington

☆ Judge raises possibility of imprisonment for Trump for violating gag order -NBC News
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | Pm Utc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Despite this order, last night I learned the offending post was never removed from a website. This is a blatant violation of the gag order. The frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination for the presidency was also hit with a partial gag order in a federal criminal case accusing him of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington on Monday barred him from verbally attacking U.S. prosecutors, court staff and potential witnesses, pointing to disparaging social media posts. Trump plans to appeal that order.

☆ 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

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) speaks to reporters while on his way to a vote following a Senate Democratic caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Craig Hudson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez will be arraigned next week on new charges that he conspired to act as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government, according to court document posted on Friday. Menendez, a Democrat who on Thursday was charged with Foreign Agents Registration Act violations, along with his wife and other co-defendants, is scheduled to face the new charges at a Oct. 18 hearing in federal court in New York, the filing said. Reporting by Luc Cohen; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Doina ChiacuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Craig Hudson, Menendez, Luc Cohen, Susan Heavey, Doina Organizations: Democratic, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.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

☆ US Congressman Santos faces more campaign finance charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) walks to a House Republican Conference meeting as Republicans work towards electing a new Speaker of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Acquire Licensing RightsOct 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative George Santos was hit with more criminal charges on Tuesday, with prosecutors accusing him of inflating his campaign's fundraising numbers and charging campaign contributors' credit cards without their consent. The false reports made it appear as if Santos' campaign had raised at least $250,000 from outside donors in a single quarter, the threshold to qualify for financial and logistical support from the Republican Party, prosecutors said. Marks pleaded guilty last week to a conspiracy charge. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat who previously held Santos' seat, said on Tuesday he would run in next year's election.

Persons: Representative George Santos, Evelyn Hockstein, Nancy Marks, Santos, Marks, Tom Suozzi, Costas Pitas, Dan Whitcomb, Luc Cohen, Eric Beech, Noeleen Walder, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Representative, House Republican Conference, Capitol, REUTERS, Federal, Commission, Republican Party, Democrat, Washington D.C, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Central Islip , New York, Long, Washington, New York

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