US Authorities Uphold Conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried
The US authorities have rejected Sam Bankman-Fried‘s appeal to overturn his conviction and sentencing related to the bankrupt FTX collapse.
Bankman-Fried’s Appeal Rejected
According to a recent court filing, the government found no merit in his claims, asserting that the jury’s verdict and the trial’s outcome were sound.
Claims of Judicial Bias
Bankman-Fried, the founder of the now-defunct FTX exchange, had sought to overturn his conviction in September at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He argued that judicial bias and procedural missteps, particularly by Judge Lewis Kaplan, undermined his trial.
Request for Retrial
Bankman-Fried claimed the judge’s decisions restricted key defense arguments and limited evidence about his investments. He also suggested that FTX’s financial troubles were overstated, implying customers could still recover their funds.
Based on these assertions, he requested a retrial and reversal of his conviction.
Government Stance
The government, however, dismissed these arguments, stating that Bankman-Fried’s appeal failed to demonstrate any errors or prejudice in the original trial.
Defense of Court Decisions
They maintained that the court’s decisions were lawful and standard in fraud cases. Specifically, they countered his objection to the “no-ultimate-harm” instruction, emphasizing its well-established role in such cases.
Evidentiary Rulings
Additionally, the government defended the court’s evidentiary rulings, including the decision to limit testimony about potential losses and the claim that customers would be fully reimbursed. They argued that these claims were both irrelevant and legally improper.
Denial of Request
The government also supported the denial of Bankman-Fried’s request to compel third-party Debtors to produce specific files, explaining that the court acted correctly since those files were not in its possession.
The filing stated:
“In any event, because Bankman-Fried received the specific items he sought from the Debtors, and he has not identified any other material evidence he was denied, Bankman-Fried has failed to show an effect on his right to a fair trial.”
Conclusion
Ultimately, the government concluded that Bankman-Fried failed to show any violation of his right to a fair trial, further solidifying their stance that the conviction and sentence should stand.
