Prospective jurors for the upcoming criminal trial of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried may face a series of probing questions related to cryptocurrency, effective altruism, and other factors. Court filings on September 11 revealed that Bankman-Fried's legal team and the US attorney have submitted lists of questions they intend to ask potential jurors in the trial scheduled for October 3.
Bankman-Fried's questions include inquiring whether potential jurors have invested in cryptocurrency and, if so, if they've experienced financial losses or hold negative views about the industry. He also seeks to determine if jurors would attribute the failure of the cryptocurrency company to its owners and their reasons for such beliefs. Additionally, he wants to explore jurors' familiarity with "effective altruism," the philosophical movement central to his reputation.
Other questions pertain to jurors' views on large political donations and lobbying, as well as their personal or professional experiences with individuals undergoing treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Standard inquiries will involve whether potential jurors have preconceived opinions about Bankman-Fried, FTX, or Alameda Research, and if they have been exposed to information that influenced their perceptions.
On a different front, US prosecutors intend to query potential jurors about their familiarity with FTX and its affiliates, whether they or their associates have invested in or worked in the cryptocurrency sector, and their views on the government's role in regulating the industry. They will also explore whether jurors have incurred investment losses due to fraud.
Notably, Bankman-Fried's request for temporary release prior to the trial was denied by US District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan, who ruled that insufficient internet connectivity within the prison did not justify authorizing his release. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to seven charges related to fraud linked to the collapse of FTX in November. He is scheduled to face a separate trial on additional charges in March.
