Bankman-Fried Blocks Remote Testimony for Ukraine-based Customer
02.10.2023 posted by Admin
Sam Bankman-Fried opposes the prosecutor's request to allow a Ukraine-based FTX customer to provide remote testimony in an upcoming criminal trial set to commence next week.
In a court document filed on Saturday, the prosecution sought permission from Judge Lewis Kaplan to incorporate witness testimony through a two-way video conference. However, Bankman-Fried's defense explicitly stated their non-consent to this proposal.
The individual in question, referred to as "FTX Customer-1" by the prosecution, is a young man residing in Ukraine. He suffered significant losses of his life savings, which he had entrusted to FTX, during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Unfortunately, FTX Customer-1 cannot leave Ukraine due to the country's wartime regulations, which prevent able-bodied men from departing. While he could attempt to secure a special exemption from Ukrainian authorities to exit the country, the prosecutors estimated that the travel would take approximately three days each way, involving a complex route through an active war zone.
Both the prosecutors and Bankman-Fried's representatives declined to comment on the matter.
Federal prosecutors assert that testimony from international witnesses is crucial in comprehending the global reach and impact of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange. They argue that due to FTX's widespread popularity, many of its customers are scattered around the world, making the process of obtaining international authorizations for testimony in the United States and arranging international travel highly intricate.
Bankman-Fried has been awaiting his trial in a New York detention facility after his bail was revoked by a judge over allegations of witness tampering. According to a court schedule, the trial is scheduled to extend until November 9th.
In a court document filed on Saturday, the prosecution sought permission from Judge Lewis Kaplan to incorporate witness testimony through a two-way video conference. However, Bankman-Fried's defense explicitly stated their non-consent to this proposal.
The individual in question, referred to as "FTX Customer-1" by the prosecution, is a young man residing in Ukraine. He suffered significant losses of his life savings, which he had entrusted to FTX, during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Unfortunately, FTX Customer-1 cannot leave Ukraine due to the country's wartime regulations, which prevent able-bodied men from departing. While he could attempt to secure a special exemption from Ukrainian authorities to exit the country, the prosecutors estimated that the travel would take approximately three days each way, involving a complex route through an active war zone.
Both the prosecutors and Bankman-Fried's representatives declined to comment on the matter.
Federal prosecutors assert that testimony from international witnesses is crucial in comprehending the global reach and impact of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange. They argue that due to FTX's widespread popularity, many of its customers are scattered around the world, making the process of obtaining international authorizations for testimony in the United States and arranging international travel highly intricate.
Bankman-Fried has been awaiting his trial in a New York detention facility after his bail was revoked by a judge over allegations of witness tampering. According to a court schedule, the trial is scheduled to extend until November 9th.