Prosecutors File Motion To Block Sam Bankman-Fried’s Expert Witnesses From Trial Citing ‘Array of Deficiencies’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking the court to exclude the testimony of the expert witnesses who will testify on behalf of former crypto golden boy Sam Bankman-Fried.

Bankman-Fried, the founder of collapsed crypto exchange FTX who is facing criminal charges for mishandling his firm’s customer funds, wants to present seven expert witnesses at his trial but the prosecution questions the legality of the proposal.

In a motion filed on August 28th, the United States government, represented by U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, says that the proposed testimonies of Lawrence Akka, Thomas Bishop, Brian Kim, Joseph Pimbley, Bradley Smith, Peter Vinella and Andrew Di Wu as well as the accompanying disclosures suffer from an array of deficiencies.

The filing says that Bankman-Fried’s’ lawyers failed to disclose the witnesses’ opinions and establish the basis for these opinions in violation of court rules.

“Where the defendant does disclose the expert’s opinions, the opinions are inappropriate subjects for expert testimony, lack a reliable methodology or basis in facts and data, or are irrelevant, unfairly prejudicial, and confusing to the jury.”

The prosecution says the proposed opinions of the witnesses is an impermissible expert testimony.

“The proposed experts would offer legal conclusions that invade the purview of the Court and the jury, or serve no other purpose than to provide an expert patina to inadmissible hearsay testimony about the defendant’s supposed lack of criminal knowledge or intent.”

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