Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried has objected to prosecutors’ request to allow a Ukraine-based FTX customer to testify remotely in his upcoming criminal trial. The customer, referred to as “FTX Customer-1,” lost a substantial portion of his life savings that he had entrusted to FTX when Russia invaded Ukraine. However, Bankman-Fried’s defense team does not consent to including remote testimony in the trial. The prosecutors argue that testimony from international witnesses is crucial for understanding the global nature and influence of the FTX crypto-exchange.
Bankman-Fried’s trial, set to begin in a few days, has already faced various complications. He is currently being held in a New York jail after his bail was revoked due to allegations of witness tampering. The trial, scheduled to last until November, is seen as a critical event in the investigation into the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange. The prosecutors maintain that coordinating international authorizations for testimony and travel arrangements for FTX customers dispersed across the world is a complex task.
As the trial approaches, Bankman-Fried’s defense team is pushing back against remote testimony from the Ukraine-based customer. The defense’s objection highlights the importance of in-person testimony and raises questions about the feasibility and reliability of remote testimony via video conference. The outcome of this dispute will significantly impact the trial proceedings and potentially shape the understanding of the FTX collapse’s global implications.
