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☆ Caroline Ellison is about to spill the beans on her ex-boyfriend Sam Bankman-Fried
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Grace Kay | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Caroline Ellison is set to testify later today in the criminal case against Sam Bankman-Fried. The former Alameda Research CEO is expected to be a key witness in the case against Bankman-Fried. AdvertisementAdvertisementAll eyes will be on star witness Caroline Ellison when she takes the stand later today in the trial against her ex-boyfriend and former boss Sam Bankman-Fried. They say Bankman-Fried siphoned money from customer accounts to fund crypto bets with Alameda Research, a hedge fund he controlled. Since the exchange collapsed, the former FTX CEO has attempted to put the blame for the platform's collapse on other executives, including Ellison.

Persons: Caroline Ellison, Sam Bankman, Ellison, —, FTX, Eric Chaffee, Prosecutors, Fried, Mark Cohen, Ellison —, Cohen, BRYAN R, SMITH, Jane Street, Gary Wang —, Wang, Adam Yedidia, Chelsea Jia Feng, Yedidia, Caroline, Lewis Kaplan, who's, Michael Lewis Organizations: Alameda Research, Service, Case Western Reserve University, Manhattan Federal, Bankman, Alameda, Research, New York Times, US Department of Justice, US Locations: Bankman, FTX, Alameda, Bahamas, Manhattan

☆ 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 ,

☆ Inside Sam Bankman-Fried's $35 million crypto frat house in the Bahamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Lawyers for the U.S. Attorney's office entered into evidence a series of photos featuring the $35 million penthouse where Sam Bankman-Fried and his fellow co-workers resided. Lawyers for the U.S. Attorney's office entered into evidence a series of photos featuring the $35 million penthouse where Sam Bankman-Fried and his fellow co-workers resided. Lawyers for the U.S. Attorney's office entered into evidence photos featuring Sam Bankman-Fried and his fellow co-workers at their shared $35 million Bahamian penthouse. In his testimony, Yedidia recalled a group Signal thread labeled "People of the House," which referred to Bankman-Fried's $35 million penthouse. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Exhibit from the prosecution shows Signal thread called "People of the House," referring to Bankman-Fried's $35 million penthouse, where many employees lived.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Gary Wang, Adam Yedidia, Caroline Ellison, She's, somethings, Lewis Kaplan, Yedidia, it's, Ryan Salame, Joseph Bankman, Barbara Fried, Bankman, John Ray, Ray, Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake, Michael Lewis, Lewis, napping, Mark Cohen, FTX, Ellison, hadn't Organizations: U.S, Southern, of, Lawyers, Alameda Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, SDNY, Bankman, Alameda, New Providence, FTX, Enron, Capitol, Prosecutors Locations: Bahamas, Manhattan, He's, of New York, Bankman, FTX, Alameda, Hong Kong, Caribbean, New Providence, New, U.S, Albany, oceanside

☆ 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

☆ SBF's lawyers shouldn't be allowed to use his $500 million investment in AI firm Anthropic — which could used to pay back FTX customers — as evidence, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Anthropic looks set to be valued at $30 billion as it is in talks with Google for further investment. Prosecutors argue that the investment can't be used as evidence in Bankman-Fried's favor. AdvertisementAdvertisementProsecutors have asked the judge overseeing Sam Bankman-Fried's trial to stop the FTX founder's lawyers from referencing his $500 million investment in Anthropic. AdvertisementAdvertisementThat means Bankman-Fried's investment could be a major help in reimbursing the thousands of FTX customers who lost their money as the crypto exchange imploded last November. AdvertisementAdvertisementMichael Lewis, who interviewed Bankman-Fried more than 100 times for his biography, wrote that other FTX executives didn't approve of the Anthropic investment.

Persons: FTX, —, Sam Bankman, Lewis Kaplan, Damian Williams, Anthropic, Williams, Fried, Gary Wang, Michael Lewis, Bankman, didn't, Ramnik Arora, Lewis, Sam Organizations: Google, Prosecutors, Service, Amazon Locations: Anthropic, Bankman, Alameda

"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

☆ Sex, Signal messages and sabotage: SBF's top execs and Bahamas roommates tell all in court
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

"Sam Bankman-Fried," he said. Wang said that in response to the reporting an emergency meeting was called between Bankman-Fried, Wang and Singh, to discuss shutting down Alameda. On Nov. 12, after FTX declared bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried asked Wang to drive with him to the Bahamas Securities Commission for a meeting. Yedidia said Bankman-Fried had told him, before he began working in the Bahamas in 2019, that he and Ellison had sex. Bankman-Fried asked Yedidia if it was a good idea for them to date, to which Yedidia said no.

Persons: Adam Yedidia, Sam Bankman, Jane Rosenberg, —, Gary Wang, Nicolas Roos, Wang, FTX, Nishad Singh, Caroline Ellison, Mr, Roos, Ellison, Fried, Reuters Wang, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Singh, Yedidia, Bankman, Sam, Christian Everdell, he's, I'm, Matt Huang, Yuki Iwamura, Huang, Dawn Giel Organizations: Federal Court, Reuters, MIT, U.S, Alameda Research, District, Prosecutors, Bahamas Securities Commission, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Google, Alameda, United, Paradigm, FTX, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: FTX, New York City, Bahamas, Manhattan, U.S, Alameda, Bahamian, New York, China, Minnesota, FTX's Hong Kong, Nassau, Bankman

Prosecutors in the criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried shared photos of a condo he once lived in. The condo includes a rooftop pool, a floor-to-ceiling view of the ocean, two spas, and at least six bathrooms. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementProsecutors pointed to Sam Bankman-Fried's lavish lifestyle during the criminal trial against the FTX cofounder, sharing photos of the penthouse condo in the Bahamas Sam Bankman-Fried once lived in, which they claim was worth about $35 million. Take a look inside the condo where Bankman-Fried and his coworkers spent much of their time.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, —, Bahamas Sam Bankman, Lewis Kaplan Organizations: Service, Alameda Research Locations: Bahamas

[1/2] Indicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at the United States Courthouse in New York City, U.S., July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 4 (Reuters) - The jury for Sam Bankman-Fried's trial on charges of stealing billions of dollars from customers of his now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange was selected on Wednesday, paving the way for opening statements to start soon. Prosecutors and the defense are expected to lay out their cases shortly in opening statements. They are expected to call three former members of Bankman-Fried's inner circle - former Alameda chief executive Caroline Ellison and former FTX executives Nishad Singh and Gary Wang - to testify against him. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York Editing by Amy Stevens, Matthew Lewis and Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Amr Alfiky, FTX, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Joseph Bankman, Barbara Fried, Gabriel Bankman, Donald Trump, Anthony Scaramucci, Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, Gary Wang, Kaplan, Ellison, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Matthew Lewis, Nick Zieminski Organizations: FTX, United, REUTERS, District, Wednesday, Stanford Business School, North Railroad, Prosecutors, Stanford Law, U.S, Alameda Research, Alameda, Metropolitan Detention, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, York, Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's old penthouse roommate insisted on immunity before testifying because he feared he unwittingly facilitated a crime
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Yedidia insisted on immunity to testify because he was worried he may have facilitated a crime. AdvertisementAdvertisementBefore Adam Yedidia could testify against Sam Bankman-Fried at the FTX cofounder's criminal trial, he needed reassurances. AdvertisementAdvertisementThis courtroom sketch shows Adam Yedidia, former FTX and Alameda Research employee and former friend of Sam Bankman-Fried, testifying, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. In 2017, he worked at Alameda Research for two months as a trader before leaving to pursue a PhD. Yedidia said he lived in a $35 million penthouse apartment in the Bahamas, which he said Alameda Research purchased at Bankman-Fried's direction.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Adam Yedidia, Yedidia, —, Fried, Elizabeth Williams, Lewis Kaplan, who's, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Prosecutors, Wang, Yedida Organizations: Service, Prosecutors, Alameda Research, AP, MIT Locations: Alameda, Manhattan, FTX, Bankman, Bahamas

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's trial to resume with jury selection, opening statements
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | 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

Indicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at the United States Courthouse in New York City, U.S., July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's trial on charges of stealing billions of dollars from customers of his now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange is set to resume on Wednesday, with the judge aiming to finish selecting a jury and move on to opening statements. That would pave the way for prosecutors and the defense to proceed to opening statements, in which each side would lay out their case. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty and is likely to argue that while he failed to adequately manage risk, he did not steal money. Reuters GraphicsReporting by Luc Cohen in New York Editing by Amy Stevens and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Amr Alfiky, FTX, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, Gary Wang, Kaplan, Ellison, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United, REUTERS, District, Prosecutors, U.S, Alameda Research, Alameda, Metropolitan Detention, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York

☆ Why Wall Street investors are freaking out
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Here’s why investors are freaking out:Rates and the Fed: A surge in corporate debt sales and rising bond yields have sent stocks lower. Moody’s, the only major credit rating firm to keep a perfect score for the United States, has warned that a government shutdown would be “credit negative” for the United States. Geopolitical risks are still elevated as Russia’s war on Ukraine continues and relations between the United States and China remain tense. October also marks the end of the fiscal year for many mutual funds in the United States. Statistical evidence doesn’t quite support the phenomenon, but the level of superstitious caution on Wall Street is real.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, ”, Michael Reinking, Mark Twain, ” Sam Bankman, Sam Bankman, Allison Morrow, Judge Lewis Kaplan, “, ” Kaplan, SFB, SBF, Caroline Ellison, Bernie Madoff, Chris Isidore, Vanessa Yurkevich Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Dow, Federal Reserve, Fed, Markets, Republicans, “, Prosecutors, GM, Ford, Motors, United Auto Workers, Michigan Assembly, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, UAW Locations: New York, America’s Congress, United States, Ukraine, China, Manhattan, Fairfax, Kansas City , Kansas, Toledo, Lockport, Michigan, Wayne , Michigan, Kokomo , Indiana

REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's father and brother, as well as Donald Trump's former spokesman Anthony Scaramucci, are among possible witnesses at the cryptocurrency exchange founder's fraud trial, according to a list read by a prosecutor in court on Tuesday. There is no guarantee that Scaramucci, Bankman-Fried's father Joseph Bankman or his brother Gabriel Bankman-Fried will testify during the trial, which is expected to last six weeks and kicked off on Tuesday with jury selection. Prosecutor Danielle Sassoon read the list of dozens of names - which included both proposed prosecution and defense witnesses - to see if any prospective jurors knew them. Scaramucci's alternative investment firm SkyBridge Capital once owned a stake in FTX, Bankman-Fried's cryptocurrency exchange which declared bankruptcy in November 2022 amid a flurry of customer withdrawals. The now-bankrupt fund is fully owned by Bankman-Fried and former FTX executive Gary Wang, court filings show.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Christian Everdell, Jane Rosenberg, Donald Trump's, Anthony Scaramucci, Joseph Bankman, Gabriel Bankman, Danielle Sassoon, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Bankman, Kaplan, Gary Wang, Nicolas Roos, Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, Ellison, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Lincoln, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Federal Court, REUTERS, SkyBridge, Alameda Research, District, Insight Partners, Bankman, Manhattan U.S, Thomson Locations: FTX, New York City, U.S, Alameda, Alameda ., New York

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial has started. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —The trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, a onetime crypto billionaire who stands accused of orchestrating a multibillion-dollar fraud, kicked off Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan. Here are the key things to know about the case, and what we might see over the next several weeks at the trial. Prosecutors opted in June to sever five other charges that were brought after Bankman-Fried’s extradition from the Bahamas, where FTX was based. Sam Bankman-Fried leaving the Bahamas on December 21, 2022, being extradited to the US to face charges. He was arrested in December in the Bahamas on charges including fraud and conspiracy and extradited to the United States in January.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Judge Lewis Kaplan, ”, “, ” Kaplan, SFB, SBF, Caroline Ellison, Bernie Madoff, FTX, Tom Brady, Larry David, Fried, Bankman, Ellison, Howard Fischer, Moses Singer, Fischer, Lewis Kaplan, he’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Prosecutors, Alameda Research, Super, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Investors, Bankman, Coindesk, Alameda, New York Times, Securities and Exchange, Enron, Metropolitan Detention Locations: New York, Manhattan, FTX, Bahamas, Miami, Alameda, United States, Brooklyn

☆ A fresh haircut and ready for court: Day one of Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Journalists stood alongside dozens of New York residents clutching jury summonses as they queued in two different security lines. The day started slowly, as the jury selection process didn't get going until nearly 11 A.M. with a break for lunch before 12:30 P.M. Kaplan told Bankman-Fried to rise in court in order to indicate his desire to take the stand in his own defense. The first step in the six-week trial is assembling a 12-person jury, plus a few alternates. District Judge Kaplan instructed the court that he would be asking all of the questions, though the list had been drafted with feedback from lawyers on both sides.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, he's, FTX, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Lewis Kaplan —, Kaplan, —, Bankman, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Ellison, Wang, Judge Kaplan, Joe Rogan, Dawn Giel Organizations: District, Federal Court, Southern, of, MIT, Alameda Research, U.S, Insight Partners Locations: New York, Brooklyn, FTX, New York City, U.S, York, Manhattan, Alameda, Maui

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried case: The FTX criminal fraud trial begins today. Here's everything you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal fraud trial begins in federal court today. According to prosecutors, Bankman-Fried commingled funds between FTX, where he was CEO, and Alameda Research, a hedge fund he also controlled. In the months since, prosecutors have brought several superseding indictments, slapping on more criminal charges. AP Photo/Mary AltafferIn addition to the criminal case against Bankman-Fried, the fallout of FTX's collapse has created a fountain of complicated lawsuits and legal maneuvers. The Securities and Exchange Commission has a civil case against Bankman-Fried alleging he "orchestrated a massive, years-long fraud."

Persons: Sam Bankman, SBF, —, FTX, Fried, Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen, Stephen Curry, Naomi Osaka, Larry David, Kevin O'Leary, Caroline Ellison, He's, Michael Lewis, guarantors, Lewis Kaplan, Jane Rosenberg, Kaplan, Bankman, Ellison, messaged, Eduardo Munoz, Mark S, Cohen, Christian Everdell, Ghislaine Maxwell, Maxwell, They're, Danielle Sassoon, Nicholas Roos, who's, Joe Lewis, Jean Carroll, Donald Trump, Trump, Bill Clinton, Gambino, Prince Andrew, Mary Altaffer, SBF's, Joseph Bankman, Barbara Fried, Gary Wang —, Nishad Singh, Ryan Salame, Cohen wearily, there's Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, Alameda Research, Miami Heat's, The New York Times, Metropolitan Detention, US, Office, Southern, Bankman, Manhattan Federal Court, REUTERS, Washington , D.C, Supreme, AP, Securities, Exchange Commission, Stanford University Locations: FTX, Manhattan, America, Palo Alto , California, New York, Bahamas, Washington ,, Joaquín, Bankman, Guantanamo, Alameda

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 3 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial, which is set to kick off on Tuesday, marks the culmination of a yearlong legal saga stemming from the dramatic collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange he founded. Below is a timeline of key events leading up to the 31-year-old former billionaire's trial. MAY 2019Bankman-Fried and former Google employee Gary Wang found FTX as a new platform to trade crypto tokens and derivatives. Alameda gives crypto lender Voyager Digital a $200 million credit facility, and FTX gives lender BlockFi a $250 million loan. In a post-arrest blog post, Bankman-Fried denies stealing funds and blames FTX's collapse on a broader downturn in crypto markets.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, Gary Wang, Larry David, Fried, CoinDesk, Binance, FTX, Changpeng Zhao, David, Tom Brady, Wang, Caroline Ellison, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Nishad Singh, Kaplan revokes, Luc Cohen, Noeleen Walder, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jane Street Capital, Alameda Research, Google, Forbes, Alameda, NFL, DEC, U.S, District, New York Times, Metropolitan Detention Center, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Alameda, Bahamas, Manhattan, United States, Palo Alto , California

Companies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial got under way with jury selection on Tuesday, nearly a year after his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange's collapse shocked markets and tattered his reputation. He was dressed in a suit and tie, with his once signature curly, unkempt hair cut into a neater trim. Bankman-Fried's is the highest profile case U.S. prosecutors have so far brought against a former cryptocurrency executive. Prosecutors say Bankman-Fried built that reputation on lies and bolstered it with endorsements from celebrities and star athletes. He will be brought to court early on most days to allow him to prepare with his lawyers.

Persons: Sam Bankman, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Bankman, Fried, Nicolas Roos, Mark Cohen, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Ellison, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Lincoln, Nick Zieminski Organizations: District, Alameda Research, Manhattan U.S, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, FTX, Alameda, New York

☆ The $8 billion Sam Bankman-Fried criminal trial starts today — here's what's at stake and how we got here
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +19 min

In the first trial, Bankman-Fried faces seven criminal counts related to the collapse of the crypto empire he built, including wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. Alameda, FTX and a host of subsidiaries Bankman-Fried founded filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware. FTX's own terms of use specifically forbade him, or Alameda, from using customer money for anything — unless the customer allowed it. And from FTX's inception, there was a lot of customer money. Bankman-Fried and other executives admitted to each other that "FTX customer funds were irrevocably lost because Alameda had appropriated them."

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Ellison, FTX, Wang, Judge Lewis Kaplan, Samuel Bankman, MacKenzie Sigalos, San Francisco —, SBF, Wang —, Nishad Singh —, Goldman Sachs, Binance, Damian Williams, Rehypothecation, —, Crypto, Solana, Zhao, he'd, Cromwell, John J, Ray, John Ray's, — CNBC's Rohan Goswami Organizations: Alameda Research, Southern, of, Stanford, MIT, U.S, New York Times, Bankman, That's, CNBC, Jane, Capital, University of California, Formula, Democratic, Twitter, Securities Exchange Commission, SEC, Futures Trading, United States Attorney's Office, CFTC, Alameda, Alameda didn't, Voyager, BlockFi, FTX, Industry, Investors, Zhao, Publicly, Sullivan, Enron Locations: Bahamas, Manhattan, New York, Alameda, of New York, FTX, Brooklyn , New York, San Francisco, South Korea, Alameda , California, Fried's Alameda, Berkeley, Miami, Washington, Delaware, California, Federal, Solana, Fried

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried trial: Potential juror dismissed after saying he can't be unbiased given 'everything negative' he heard about crypto
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

One prospective juror said he couldn't be objective given "everything negative" he's heard of crypto. AdvertisementAdvertisementCryptocurrency itself isn't on trial, but strong feelings about the virtual currency may be shaping Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal trial. He told prospective jurors earlier in the day that he expected to conclude the selection process by Wednesday morning, before opening statements. AdvertisementAdvertisementFamiliarity with cryptocurrency, the dramatic collapse of FTX, or Bankman-Fried's case specifically isn't necessarily disqualifying to be a juror. One prospective juror said she would have a problem rendering a guilty verdict if Bankman-Fried faced the death penalty.

Persons: Sam Bankman, He's, he's, —, I'm, Lewis Kaplan, cryptocurrency, Kaplan, Bankman, Fried, — Kaplan, they'd, Kaplan didn't Organizations: Service, US, Prosecutors, Alameda Research, Insight Partners Locations: Manhattan, FTX, Alameda

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried case: The FTX criminal fraud trial begins this week. Here's everything you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal fraud trial begins in federal court on Tuesday. According to prosecutors, Bankman-Fried commingled funds between FTX, where he was CEO, and Alameda Research, a hedge fund he also controlled. In the months since, prosecutors have brought several superseding indictments, slapping on more criminal charges. AP Photo/Mary AltafferIn addition to the criminal case against Bankman-Fried, the fallout of FTX's collapse has created a fountain of complicated lawsuits and legal maneuvers. The Securities and Exchange Commission has a civil case against Bankman-Fried alleging he "orchestrated a massive, years-long fraud."

Law Firms Michael R. Becker FollowNEW YORK, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried will likely defend himself at his fraud trial, due to begin on Tuesday, by arguing he did not think the use by his FTX cryptocurrency exchange of customer funds was improper and by challenging the credibility of those who say otherwise. He has long acknowledged failing to manage risk at FTX, but denied prosecutors' claims he stole billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits to plug Alameda's losses. In September court papers, Bankman-Fried's lawyers said he had a "good faith belief" that the manner in which FTX and Alameda handled customer funds was permissible. 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. Prosecutors are seeking to play jurors a recording of an Alameda meeting in which Ellison told colleagues that Bankman-Fried approved the use of customer funds.

Persons: Michael R, Becker, Sam Bankman, Fried, FTX, Alameda, Jordan Estes, Estes, Kramer Levin, Eduardo Munoz, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Tim Howard, Freshfields, Ellison, Wang, Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Alameda Research, New York Times, REUTERS, U.S, Attorney's, District, Alameda, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn, Bankman, FTX, Alameda, New York, U.S, Manhattan

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud trial is about to start. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This week, he will stand trial in what federal prosecutors have called one of the biggest frauds in US history. The 31-year-old Bankman-Fried, known as SBF, has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy in connection with the collapse of FTX, his crypto-trading platform. Here are the key things to know about the case, and what we might see over the next several weeks at the trial. SBF faces seven counts, including wire fraud and securities fraud. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was a crypto celebrity until November last year, when his business empire collapsed.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, SBF, FTX, Tom Brady, Larry David, Amr Alfiky, Bankman, Caroline Ellison, Ellison, “, ”, Howard Fischer, Moses Singer, Fischer, Lewis Kaplan, he’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Prosecutors, Alameda Research, Super, Reuters, Investors, Bankman, Coindesk, Alameda, New York Times, Securities and Exchange, Enron, Metropolitan Detention Locations: New York, Bahamas, FTX, Miami, Alameda, United States, Manhattan, Brooklyn

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried opposes Ukraine FTX victim testifying remotely, lawyers tell trial judge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried does not approve of prosecutors' request to allow a Ukraine-based FTX customer to testify remotely in the criminal trial, which is set to start on Tuesday. The FTX customer in question, who prosecutors refer to as "FTX Customer-1" in the filing, is "a young male, located in Ukraine ... who lost a substantial portion of his life savings that he had entrusted to FTX when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022." FTX Customer-1 cannot travel out of Ukraine due to the country's war-time law, which prohibits men deemed fit for combat from leaving. The federal prosecutors maintained that testimony from international witnesses is important to understanding the global nature and influence of the FTX crypto-exchange. According to a court calendar, the trial will last until Nov. 9.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Judge Lewis Kaplan, Fried Organizations: FTX Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, Ukraine, FTX, Russia, United States, New York

☆ A judge gave permission for Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers to give him suits, ties, and 'appropriate undergarments' to wear at his trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A judge approved a request for Sam Bankman-Fried to wear business attire in court. Judges often allow jailed inmates to wear suits to avoid possible juror bias if they wore prison uniform. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe judge overseeing the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried approved a request on Wednesday for the FTX founder to wear business attire in court. Now behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center, his lawyers submitted a proposed order on Tuesday which asked Kaplan to allow Bankman-Fried to wear "business attire clothing." Judges often let jailed inmates wear business attire in court, because wearing a prison uniform could prejudice the jury.

Persons: Sam Bankman, —, Fried, Lewis Kaplan, Bankman, Kaplan, Fatih Aktas, YUKI IWAMURA, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Blair, Anthony Scaramucci, Scaramucci Organizations: Service, Metropolitan Detention Center, US Marshals Service, MDC, Anadolu Agency, Getty, British, Forbes, SkyBridge Locations: Bahamas, Manhattan, AFP, Rome

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