In a plot thickening faster than a pot of cold oatmeal, a Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday made it clear that Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX founder, won’t be barring prosecutors from using recently presented evidence in the fraud trial. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan declared the defendant’s objections regarding delays as simply “not at all accurate.”
Bankman-Fried, pinned with allegations of plundering billions from his now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange, marks his days in jail, counting down to his Oct. 3 trial. His stay behind bars isn’t just a procedural routine; Judge Kaplan had discerned interference with witnesses during his time on bail.
Bankman-Fried Trial : Barrage of Papers and Blame Game
Earlier this month, reminiscent of a magician pulling endless handkerchiefs from a hat, the defendant’s attorneys clamored over the late arrival of mountains of evidence — akin to the surprise dump of millions of pages only a month before jurors take their seats.
But the prosecution, in a tone dripping with reason, pointed out that they’ve played by the book, and the defense had ample heads up on any delays, many of which were sourced to third-party interventions.
