FTX trial looks like ‘guilty plea in slow motion’: Former prosecutor says

Former FTX (FTT-USD) CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has wrapped up the first week of testimony in his criminal fraud trial. SBF stands accused of defrauding investors and mishandling customer deposits leading to the crypto exchange’s collapse. Prosecutors have charged him with various counts of fraud and money laundering that could potentially result in a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. The prosecution has aimed to portray Bankman-Fried as knowingly misleading investors and misappropriating billions in client assets — Bankman-Fried’s defense maintains he never acted maliciously. According to Nick Ackerman, the Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Bankman-Fried faces an uphill battle against the charges: “Particularly, when you’ve got three high-level executives at the company who have already plead guilty to the same crimes that Bankman-Fried is charged with.” “This was very purposeful, it wasn’t like he was in over his head,” Ackerman tells Yahoo Finance. He argues the defense claiming Bankman-Fried merely made mistakes is undercut by guilty pleas from top FTX officials to similar conduct. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live.
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