- Federal prosecutors have formally urged a judge to deny Sam Bankman-Fried‘s motion for a new criminal trial, arguing his legal team has failed to meet the required standard.
- They contend the witness testimony cited by the defense does not qualify as newly discovered evidence, as the individuals were known before the original 2023 trial.
- This legal maneuver is separate from Bankman-Fried’s ongoing appeal of his conviction and 25-year prison sentence for fraud related to FTX‘s collapse.
US prosecutors have moved to block Sam Bankman-Fried‘s bid for a retrial, according to court documents filed Thursday. They argued the former FTX CEO’s request does not meet the strict legal threshold required to grant a new proceeding.
Prosecutors specifically challenged the defense’s reliance on potential testimony from former executives Ryan Salame and Daniel Chapsky. They stated this could not be considered new evidence, as both men were known to the defense before the 2023 trial that resulted in a conviction.
Bankman-Fried’s legal team filed the retrial motion in February, claiming new witness accounts could undermine the prosecution’s narrative. Consequently, Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered the government to respond, but he has not yet ruled on whether to allow the motion to proceed.
Meanwhile, Bankman-Fried separately continues his appeal process in a higher federal court. A jury found him guilty on seven fraud and conspiracy counts in November 2023, leading to a 25-year prison sentence.
Speculation about a potential presidential pardon has circulated alongside these formal legal challenges. However, public reports indicate former President Donald Trump has stated he has no intention of granting one.
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