Spalletta Indicted for Uranium Finance Hack Now at Trial Objects to Victim One Juror Out

Spalletta Indicted for Uranium Finance Hack Now at Trial Objects to Victim One Juror Out by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 28 – Jonathan Spalletta was arrested and arraigned on March 30 for two hacks of Uranium Finance in April 2021. The second hack, the indictment alleges, netted $53 million which it says Spalletta "laundered including through the cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash in order to buy Pokemon cards, antique Roman coins and a piece of the Wright brothers' original plane that Neil Armstrong had taken to the moon.   To the moon! [Echoes of SafeMoon, prosecuted in EDNY]   Inner City Press was in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court when Spalletta was presented and sent up to Judge Jed S. Rakoff's courtroom for arraignment.  On September 11, before a September 28 trial, Judge Rakoff ruled that the US' Daubert motion is due September 14 with Defendant's opposition due September 23. On September 28 the trial began, with (very) short jury selection, openings and a witness, which Inner City Press live tweeted here: AUSA: Let them argue why someone might want to use Tornado Cash Judge Rakoff: I am unlikely to let in the argument that this was an inside job. OK, bring the defendant in, put your witness on the stand then bring in the jury [Couple with white canes come in and sit in front row of gallery, prosecutors look back at them] Defense: I'm sorry, my client is in the restroom. Judge Rakoff: The greatest judge on this court in the history would bring in the jury in now and let them wait.. Oh, here he is. [Voice changes] You just be on time! Spalletta: Yes, your Honor [Jury enters] [Amazing, there is a jury note - earliest one ever] Judge Rakoff: Will the parties approach? [Sidebar] Judge Rakoff: So Juror 11, Jason New, thanks for letting us know, you are excused. Alternate 1, please step up. Counsel: May we have another sidebar? Judge Rakoff: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the reason we had to excuse Juror Number 11 was something he raised to me. Did anyone have a discussion with him? No? That resolves the issue. Swear in the witness. It's Jason Rogers AUSA: Good afternoon Mr. Rodgers. Where do you live? Rodgers: Seoul, South Korea. AUSA: What was Uranium Finance? Rodgers: A DEX, a decentralized exchange. AUSA: When did you invest it it? Judge: What is cryptocurrency? Rodgers: Digital currency AUSA: Your history? Rodgers: I'm from Maryland, I get to University of Georgia for landscape architecture. I worked in that until 2008 when it collapsed. I went to South Korea to design an army base. AUSA: Why'd you get into crypto? Rodgers: To buy a house With jury out of room, Spalletta confers with the couple with canes in the front row, then says loudly to one of his two lawyers, "it doesn't mean that everyone with economic harm," then quieter. Waiting for jury's return Jury's back. AUSA: Where were you, when you saw your Uranium pools drained? Rodgers: In my office slash bedroom. I saw it on my computer. AUSA: What did you do? Rodgers: Tried to get my crypto back from the pool, but I couldn't. I tried many many times Cross examination Defense: How much did you lose? Rodgers: $2.7 million. Defense: Where did the money come from? AUSA: Objection! Judge: Ground? AUSA: Relevance. Judge: Sustained. Rodgers: The reward that Uranium gave made you almost an owner of the site Judge: What were the kinds of crypto that you were contributing? Rodgers: USDC and another in rads Defense: What was the volume? Rodgers: I don't know. Judge: His motive is not relevant US v. Spalletta is over for the day    More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here. The case is USA v. Spalletta, 1:26-cr-118 (Rakoff) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material / documents on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. And/or join on Substack here, for Extra like on X for Subscribers Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com