Lawyers for Sam Bankman-Fried are trying to block the remote testimony of a Ukrainian FTX user during the trial of the founder of a bankrupt crypto exchange.
According to lawyers, the request of the US Department of Justice for remote participation in the process of the platform’s declared client should be rejected.
“The proposed testimony, which is unique to this witness, will likely relate to the adversity and individual circumstances created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” the letter to the judge said.
Bankman-Fried’s representatives emphasized that the Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution gives him the right to face-to-face examination of a witness against him.
The Justice Department asked the court to allow the Ukrainian user to testify remotely because he “has unique circumstances that make international travel more than problematic.”
According to prosecutors, the witness is a young man who “lost a significant portion of his life savings to FTX when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.”
“The testimony of at least some of FTX’s customers with varying locations, backgrounds, and motivations for selecting and using the exchange is relevant to establishing the large audience that the platform—and, by default, defendant’s promotional activities and public statements—had in the cryptocurrency community,” they said. Ministry of Justice.
In a separate letter, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers asked for clarification on the ability to present the client’s “previous good deeds” such as charitable donations. They would also like to offer evidence of his involvement in the recovery of FTX assets.
The trial of the exchange founder will begin on October 3 with jury selection.
Let us remind you that on the eve of the start of the trial, ForkLog collected current news from the defense and prosecution.
Found an error in the text? Select it and press CTRL+ENTER
ForkLog newsletters: keep your finger on the pulse of the Bitcoin industry!