Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyer says FTX fraud trial was “almost impossible” to win: report

The lawyer answerable for Sam Bankman-Fried’s felony trial protection has admitted that the case was “nearly not possible” to win from the outset.

In a one-on-one interview with Bloomberg, Stanford Regulation College professor David Mills recounts how Bankman-Fried’s reluctance to comply with his suggestions, in addition to the damning testimony of his former associates, had the FTX founder’s again in opposition to the ropes.

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“I believed it was nearly not possible to win a case when three or 4 founders are all saying you probably did it,” Mills informed the publication.

“Even when they’re all mendacity via their enamel, it’s actually, actually onerous to win a case like that.”

The report additionally outlines how Mills advisable that SBF’s authorized protection ought to have admitted to the allegations of witnesses and the state prosecution and tried to persuade the presiding jury that Bankman-Fried supposed to save lots of the corporate from chapter.

“I believed there was a very good story there. However he can’t inform the story that each one these individuals are mendacity. You bought 5 individuals who say one factor, one particular person says one other factor. Nicely, you’ve received no shot, zero,” Mills mentioned.

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The skilled felony lawyer, businessman and tutorial additionally described Bankman-Fried “because the worst particular person I’ve ever seen do a cross-examination”, as the previous FTX CEO unsuccessfully tried to refute making a number of damning statements that ultimately noticed him discovered responsible of all seven expenses.

Mills additionally revealed that he had agreed to lend his experience to Bankman-Fried’s protection on the behest of the FTX CEO’s mother and father. Mills is known to be shut associates with Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried and took on the case freed from cost, including that his friendship and love for felony regulation have been driving elements behind his involvement.

In the meantime, the end result of the case and the to-be-determined size of Bankman-Fried’s incarceration could have been too near residence, as Mills admitted that he wouldn’t tackle circumstances involving shut relationships:

“I’m not going to get myself emotionally concerned on a really deep private degree in a case like this once more.”

Bankman-Fried was discovered responsible of two counts of wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud conspiracy, one rely of securities fraud, one rely of commodities fraud conspiracy and one rely of cash laundering conspiracy.

The 31-year-old is ready to be sentenced on March 28, 2024, by New York District Choose Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the high-profile case. Kaplan may have the ultimate say over the length of Bankman-Fried’s sentence, whereas authorities prosecutors will put ahead suggestions.

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