Reported by David Yaffe-Bellany and Matthew Goldstein

(Summary of original article featured below)

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have amassed a vast and diverse array of evidence in the criminal case against Sam Bankman-Fried, the former cryptocurrency executive. The evidence includes computer code, millions of pages of emails, Slack messages, and a handwritten diary belonging to Bankman-Fried’s former girlfriend. The evidence is among the largest ever collected in a white-collar securities fraud case in Manhattan. Bankman-Fried, the founder of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is facing charges of misappropriating billions of dollars, defrauding investors, and violating campaign finance laws.

The evidence collected by prosecutors includes transaction logs, encrypted group chats from FTX, and personal reflections recorded by a key witness in the case. The materials pose significant legal challenges for Bankman-Fried, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The evidence ranges from electronic devices, such as phones and laptops, to extensive records from Bankman-Fried’s Google accounts, totaling 2.5 million pages. The sheer volume of evidence presents a challenge for prosecutors, who must sift through it to find useful information.

The evidence collection process in the case has provided insights into the dynamics at FTX. Bankman-Fried’s former girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, who was the CEO of FTX’s sister company, Alameda Research, is expected to be a crucial witness. She has pleaded guilty to fraud charges and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Personal writings from her and other witnesses could be used by the defense during cross-examination. The evidence also includes corporate records, emails, Slack messages, and transaction logs held by the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, which took control of FTX after its bankruptcy.

Prosecutors have also obtained evidence directly from individuals associated with Bankman-Fried. The FBI executed a search warrant at the home of Ryan Salame, an FTX executive who donated to Republican candidates, and seized his mobile phone and the phone of his girlfriend, Michelle Bond, a crypto lobbyist. The evidence obtained from witnesses and third parties has been turned over to Bankman-Fried’s defense team as part of the discovery process. The large volume of evidence, including laptops and millions of documents, presents a significant challenge for both prosecutors and defense attorneys in preparing for the trial scheduled for October.

Read full report: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/technology/ftx-evidence-sam-bankman-fried.html