FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has returned to social media, alleging that U.S. prosecutors improperly pressured witnesses throughout his legal trial and arguing that his conviction needs to be overturned.
Abstract
- Sam Bankman-Fried has resurfaced on X, alleging U.S. prosecutors improperly pressured witnesses throughout his FTX legal trial and claiming the conviction needs to be overturned.
- He additionally referred to as for U.S. District Choose Lewis Kaplan to recuse himself, accusing the decide of bias and prejudging defendants in his case.
- Response on X has been sharply destructive, with customers dismissing his claims and reiterating that misuse of buyer funds constitutes fraud no matter solvency.
Sam Bankman-Fried calls for decide’s recusal
In a publish revealed on X, Bankman-Fried claimed that “new proof” exhibits the Biden administration’s Division of Justice threatened a number of witnesses into silence or inspired them to alter their testimony.
He stated this alleged conduct undermines the integrity of the trial and warrants throwing out his conviction.
Bankman-Fried additionally referred to as for U.S. District Choose Lewis Kaplan to recuse himself from ruling on the matter. He accused Kaplan of prejudging defendants and stacking proceedings in opposition to him, citing what he described as comparable remedy towards former FTX government Ryan Salame and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The feedback observe Bankman-Fried’s current authorized filings looking for a brand new trial, through which his protection argues that jurors have been denied entry to exculpatory proof and that the courtroom improperly restricted witness testimony.
His authorized staff has beforehand contended that key proof associated to FTX’s inner operations and chapter course of was excluded, weakening his means to current a full protection.
At this stage, Bankman-Fried’s allegations stay unproven.
Bankman-Fried was convicted in 2023 on a number of counts of fraud and conspiracy tied to the collapse of FTX and is at present serving a prolonged federal jail sentence. His appeals and post-conviction motions stay ongoing, with courts but to find out whether or not any procedural errors rise to the extent required for a retrial.
Response on X has been swift and overwhelmingly hostile. Many customers rejected Bankman-Fried’s claims outright, arguing that misappropriating buyer belongings constitutes fraud no matter solvency, with one publish likening it to theft even when the property is later returned.
Others responded extra viscerally, utilizing profanity and private assaults to dismiss SBF’s credibility and citing sworn testimony from former associates as proof in opposition to him, whereas some additionally questioned why he’s nonetheless capable of publish publicly from jail following his unanimous conviction.
