Judge Criticizes Sam Bankman-Fried's 'Interesting Way Of Responding' In FTX Fraud Trial: 'Part Of The Problem'

A recent courtroom development finds Sam Bankman-Fried under fire from a U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, for his vague responses during his criminal fraud trial.

Bankman-Fried’s responses during cross-examination were often evasive. He frequently paused before answering and often rephrased questions posed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, reported Business Insider.

Bankman-Fried’s evasive answers increased Judge Kaplan’s skepticism. He likened the situation to someone who had bought a house using funds from a bank and didn’t reveal to his real estate lawyer the source of the money.

“Part of the problem is that the witness has what I’ll simply call an interesting way of responding to questions,” Kaplan said.

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Bankman-Fried, founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is under scrutiny for allegedly using customer funds for personal gain. The trial took place in downtown Manhattan.

Bankman-Fried’s defense argues he acted in good faith and followed legal advice during his tenure at FTX. However, Judge Kaplan established that these discussions have little relevance to the charges at hand.

The prosecution questioned Bankman-Fried on the alleged misuse of FTX customer deposits. Bankman-Fried offered a long pause before stating that he didn’t recall any such discussions.

Bankman-Fried’s decision to testify led to a lengthy trial day. The day concluded with Judge Kaplan expressing the need to consider whether the defendant’s statements could be shared with the jury.

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Photo by Cointelegraph on Wikimedia