DOJ calls SBF's fraud allegation defense 'irrelevant,’ requests additional info

08/30/2023 20:24
DOJ calls SBF's fraud allegation defense 'irrelevant,’ requests additional info

The letter by attorney Damian Williams said without additional information provided by SBF the court should “preclude irrelevant, confusing, and prejudicial questioning, evidence, and arguments about the involvement of attorneys.”

The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a new court filing in its case against Sam Bankman-Fried in which it called his planned defense “irrelevant” without additional details.

DOJ calls SBF's fraud allegation defense 'irrelevant,’ requests additional info

The lawyers representing the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a new court document late on Aug. 29 arguing that Sam Bankman-Fried should provide additional disclosures to his planned defense. 

The document called the current proposed argument, which claims his lawyers approved of fraud allegations while he was still at FTX, “irrelevant.”  The filing requests that the court order the defendant to procure “additional notice” and “pretrial discovery."

“If the defendant does not provide additional disclosures, the court should preclude irrelevant, confusing, and prejudicial questioning, evidence, and arguments about the involvement of attorneys.”

Previously, the lawyers representing SBF argued that the legal team leading FTX led him to act “in good faith” and that “reliance on counsel is relevant to the question of intent.” 

Attorney Damian Williams, who penned the recent letter to the court argued that Bankman-Fried needs to specify the legal advice he was given or else rethink his defense.

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