Bankman-Fried, 31, who spoke on Thursday without jury present, expected to share his version of rise and fall of trading platform
Sam Bankman-Fried will attempt to explain away his role in the spectacular collapse of the multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency empire he once helmed in a federal courtroom on Friday, as he takes the stand in his own defense.
His testimony comes a day later than anticipated, after the judge overseeing the trial unexpectedly sent jurors home on Thursday afternoon in order to determine which parts Bankman-Fried’s testimony he would allow.
Bankman-Fried, 31, is expected share his version of the rise and fall of crypto trading platform FTX, which prosecutors blame on his extravagant spending on investments, donations, and a lavish lifestyle.
Nearly three hours of testimony before judge Lewis Kaplan on Thursday offered a preview of what Bankman-Fried’s testimony will include. He tried to show that the presence of lawyers when he made decisions about how he spent customer money led him to think he was acting legally.
