A new development has occurred in the case against Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), one of the most talked-about figures in the cryptocurrency world in the US.
The former FTX CEO, who was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison, had his request for a retrial rejected by Judge Lewis Kaplan.
According to court documents, the request for a “retrial,” made while the appeal process against Bankman-Fried’s conviction was ongoing, was evaluated on legal grounds. Judge Kaplan acknowledged that the continuation of the appeal process may, in some cases, limit the jurisdiction of the lower court, but stated that this does not mean that requests for a retrial cannot be considered at all. Under current regulations, the court retains the power to reject such a request even if it cannot accept it.
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Kaplan also addressed the merits of Bankman-Fried’s application, finding the grounds for the claim insufficient. SBF’s defense relied on the testimonies of three “newly discovered” witnesses. However, the court stated that none of these individuals were actually new. The ruling indicated that Bankman-Fried knew these witnesses prior to the trial and could foresee their testimonies.
The court also noted that the defendant had not taken the necessary legal steps, or at least had not attempted, to summon these witnesses to trial. This was considered a significant factor weakening the claim of “new evidence.”
Judge Kaplan, in light of all these reasons, ruled that Bankman-Fried’s request for a new trial was “unfounded in more than one respect.” Thus, another attempt by SBF to overturn the court’s decision was unsuccessful.
*This is not investment advice.