👨‍⚖️ Sam Bankman Fried’s Trial Coverage

We have done extensive coverage of the SBF trial, and we’ll continue to do so! Here’s a recap of the first week.

The second week of Sam Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial is underway, bringing emotional testimony from SBF’s ex-girlfriend and former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison, along with some surprising stories about alleged bribes to Chinese officials and discussion about reaching out to the Saudi Crown Prince for help. Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs, discusses why the question of who was actually in charge is so critical to the case, the defense’s strategy to discredit Caroline Ellison, and why sidebars in the courtroom can get so heated.

Watch or Listen to Laura’s Daily Recaps 👇

SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges

Zac Prince, former CEO of BlockFi, testified about the risks of lending to Alameda. The defense tried to use his testimony to raise questions about whether Alameda’s lenders, like BlockFi, were at fault for their irresponsible lending practices, but didn’t succeed.

SBF Trial, Day 7: Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness?

The defense failed to gain traction during Caroline Ellison’s cross-examination, repeating questions previously asked and further frustrating the judge. Still, shocking new facts came to light, such as that, around the time that Alameda had “borrowed” $14 billion of FTX customer money, Sam Bankman-Fried told Ellison he wanted to make a big investment in messaging platform Telegram.

SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls ‘The Worst Week of My Life’

On the most emotional day of the trial, Caroline Ellison breaks down while revealing the desperate financial maneuvers orchestrated by Sam Bankman-Fried. Her testimony also included dramatic references to allegedly bribing Chinese government officials, creating accounts using the IDs of Thai prostitutes, and an attempt to raise money by selling FTX shares to a Saudi prince.

SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF’s Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison?

Reporting from inside the courtroom, Laura covers Caroline Ellison’s testimony about her relationship with Sam Bankman-Fried, which seemed to set up a potential showdown in which the former lovers may blame each other for Alameda using FTX customer funds. In its cross-examination of Gary Wang, the defense finally mounted a more coherent defense after a first week in which it largely floundered.

The first week of the criminal trial of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has come to a close, with his former friends and FTX colleagues Adam Yedidia and Gary Wang delivering powerful testimonies that are forming the foundations for the prosecution’s arguments — arguments that the defense may have a difficult time surmounting. Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel, and Brian Klein, partner at Waymaker, discuss Alameda’s special privileges coded into the FTX software, the reason why a scorched FTX customer may have been chosen as the first witness, and why upcoming key witnesses are going to be a “real problem” for the defense.

The Chopping Block: Gabriel Shapiro on Why Sam Bankman-Fried May Be a ‘Sociopath’

This week, the crew is joined by Gabriel Shapiro, general counsel at Delphi Labs, to talk about the key points in the criminal trial of Sam Bankman-Fried and his lackluster defense strategy so far. They also delve into Michael Lewis’ book and his depictions of SBF’s “lore and backstory,” and discuss how SBF’s “quirks of character” may have actually enticed investors.

In Case You Missed It 👀

Here are some of the most important news of this week:

• CFTC, FTC Sue Ex-Voyager Digital CEO Stephen Ehrlich for Fraud

• Alameda Whistleblower Reveals Firm Lost $190M Due to Poor Security Practices

• Polygon-Based Stablecoin USDR Depegs to $0.53

• Judge Sends 3AC’s $248 Million Claim Against BlockFi to Mediation

• FTX Staffers Raced to Save Assets from Exploiter After Bankruptcy Protection Filing: Report

• FTX Used a Fake Number to Beef Up Its Insurance Fund: Gary Wang

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