DOJ Says Agency Will Call Sam Bankman-Fried’s Coconspirators Who Entered Guilty Pleas To Witness Stand

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says that the coconspirators of FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried who have already pleaded guilty will be called to the witness stand during litigation against the disgraced former billionaire.

In new court documents, the US government tells Judge Kaplan that it anticipates questioning several types of witnesses, including FTX customers and investors.

The government also expects to call former colleagues of Bankman-Fried who have already entered guilty pleas.

Says the DOJ,

“The Government expects to call certain witnesses who entered guilty pleas to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud with the defendant and who are testifying pursuant to cooperation agreements, as well as witnesses who will testify pursuant to grants of immunity for their testimony.

The Government anticipates that these witnesses will testify regarding their interactions and conversations with the defendant, including their understanding of the meaning of statements and instructions given to them by the defendant. This coconspirator testimony is probative of the manner in which the conspirators agreed to perpetrate the scheme and the method by which they communicated in furtherance of the scheme.”

So far, four FTX executives have pleaded guilty to charges relating to the collapse of the exchange, including former CEO of FTX Digital Markets Ryan Salame, former FTX director Nishad Singh, co-founder Gary Wang and former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellis.

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