In the fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, prosecutors have requested the judge inform the jury that the defendant’s assertion that he is an effective altruist should not serve as a legitimate defense. Bankman-Fried faces allegations of misappropriating billions of dollars from FTX customers for personal purposes, such as political contributions, real estate and investments.
In a letter presented on Thursday, the prosecution noted that Bankman-Fried’s legal counsel sought to contend that he should not be charged with fraud because he had intentions to reimburse customers through methods like FTX’s growth and profitable investments. They asserted that this argument lacks relevance and does not absolve the fraud allegations.