The Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed its intention to call former FTX customers, investors, and employees as witnesses in the upcoming trial involving former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

The DOJ filed a letter motion on Sept. 30 describing the witnesses it intends to call regarding FTX’s handling of customer assets.

The testimony is intended to provide perspective on the interactions between the defendant and the witness. It is also intended to expose the witness to Bankman-Fried’s statements and actions, particularly regarding FTX’s asset management. The Department of Justice intends to highlight the experience of retail and institutional customers who entrusted significant amounts of assets to FTX, trusting that the platform would safely protect them.

Additionally, a situation has arisen with one of the Justice Department’s witnesses, “FTX Client-1,” who resides in Ukraine. Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, traveling to the United States to provide testimony is associated with difficulties. The Justice Department has suggested using video conferencing as a viable alternative. However, Bankman-Fried’s defense has not approved this proposal.

Still, the legal team representing Bankman-Fried, led by attorney Mark Cohen, expressed concerns about jury questions raised by the Justice Department. According to Bankman-Fried's defense, these questions implicate Bankman-Fried's guilt and could undermine the principle of "innocent until proven guilty."

RELATED: Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers challenge jury questions raised by US government

Furthermore, the defense argues that these inquiries may not be effective in uncovering jurors’ inherent biases, particularly as they relate to their exposure to cryptocurrency. Furthermore, specific questions may inadvertently guide the jurors’ opinions rather than elicit true insights, potentially compromising the fairness of the trial.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Oct. 3, with the trial to follow shortly thereafter, bringing the high-stakes legal confrontation into focus.

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Author: Deepchain DCNews

Compiled by: Sister Shen

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