by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
LITERARY SDNY, Oct 6 -- Sixth day of October and in the SBF trial Judge Kaplan was growing angry with Sam's lawyers.
It happened during the cross examination of Gary Wang, who was in his second day of testimony, with a third to come.
It had been said he couldn't speak but here he was, speaking. And taking Sam apart.
Gary explained how Alameda could trade faster than others on FTX. (On cross, Everdell try to ascribe this to not having to go through CloudFlare).
How Sam lied on TV and on Twitter, and on phone calls Gary overheard as Sam walked around the Bahamas office in his cargo shorts.
At the end of the direct, Gary was asked about his cooperator's deal, his hope to serve no jail time at all.
People asked and Kurt Wheelock answered: cooperators could still go to jail. He used the example of money launderer Gilbert Armenta in the OneCoin case, who'd gotten a five year sentence. Of course, he had violated his cooperation agreement, moving to sell his airplane.
Sam's two jets were being taken under forfeiture. Maybe, just maybe, some of the money would go back to FTX's victims.
During a 15 minute break Kurt ran across to 40 Foley Square, the murder trial there. On the way he passed the crowd of crypto reporters who'd stepped outside to use their phones and laptops as he'd used to have to do, during the UN corruption trials of Ng Lap Seng and then Patrick Ho. Out in the snow. He commiserated.
In Courtroom 318 of 40 Foley Square, a cooperator was on the witness stand - and he was in Essex jail yellow, with Marshals discretely by his side. Yes, cooperators can go to jail. Though this one had probably only reached out to snitch AFTER he was in jail. He didn't get an offer in advance like Gary and Caroline and Nishad.
And where was Sam Trabucco, people kept asked - and where was Dan F? There was at least one more government witness with an immunity deal. Which one or who would it be?
Kurt got back late from 40 Foley, and missed some of the testimony. He kicked himself. But all these other cases couldn't just be let go. He jumped back in, with Everdell's repetitive cross examination. Mr Wang, you say you met Sam in math camp --
We have already heard this, the judge said. Move on and don't do it again.
But Everdell would, again and again. As he'd done in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial..
More on the SBF trial comparisons (Maximum Ghislaine Maxwell) and parents on Substack here
More book sample on Substack here. Extended on Patreon here.
Book here
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