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