Prosecution tries to paint Sam Bankman-Fried as a liar

It’s the fifth week of Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial for seven expenses of fraud and cash laundering throughout to his time because the CEO of former crypto trade FTX. He’s been on the stand since Thursday to testify, and there was a tangible shift of tone Monday when prosecutors took over for cross examination.

On Friday and for a part of Monday morning, Bankman-Fried, wearing one other outsized grey go well with, answered questions from his foremost protection lawyer, Mark Cohen. The courtroom benches for the general public have been full.

On the finish of the protection’s examination, Cohen requested Bankman-Fried why he spoke out in public shortly after he stepped down as CEO and FTX filed for chapter. “I felt prefer it was the best factor to do to speak about what occurred,” he mentioned. “I had my reminiscence . . . [but] little or no past that,” he mentioned, referring to him being lower off from entry to FTX’s inner paperwork after his departure.

“I wished to apologize for what occurred and clarify this as finest I can on the time,” he mentioned. After FTX collapsed, Bankman-Fried went on “Good Morning America” and different shops, in addition to Twitter Areas with web personalities like Mario Nawfal.

As soon as assistant U.S. legal professional for the SDNY Danielle Sassoon started to cross-examine Bankman-Fried in entrance of a jury, he was fast to answer, however solely repeated a handful of unsure expressions, like “I don’t recall,” “I could have,” “Sounds believable,” “I’m undecided,” “Probably,” and “Sounds proper.” He waffled so many instances that the overflow room, full of public spectators and different reporters, echoed with laughter.

Sassoon gave the impression to be making an attempt to painting the previous CEO as a serial liar, utilizing his extremely public previous interviews earlier than his arrest in mid-December as ammunition.