With his direct testimony concluded, the anticipation mounts as Prince gears up for the upcoming cross-examination. Bankman-Fried’s defense team is poised to delve deeper into Prince’s revelation that he had a closer relationship with Caroline Ellison than the defendant himself.
A Defiant Defense and Contradictory Testimony
As the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried enters its second week, BlockFi founder Zac Prince’s testimony exposes a billion-dollar gamble that has left the courtroom in shock. Prince’s admission that BlockFi was entangled in the financial implosion of FTX and Alameda Research has electrified the proceedings.
The previous day, the courtroom witnessed a tense cross-examination of star witness Caroline Ellison, frequently interrupted by objections from prosecutor Danielle Sassoon. Overnight, the trial transcript unveiled defense attorney Mark Cohen’s displeasure with the line of questioning.
Cohen raised objections concerning the restrictions imposed on their cross-examination, prompting a heated exchange with U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Cohen argued for the right to present their defense and questioned the constraints on revisiting topics covered during the direct examination.
