Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is facing a criminal trial that’s set to span at least 21 days, according to a trial calendar recently made public. The trial is scheduled to kick off on October 4 and conclude on November 9.
The trial calendar, released on September 28, outlines the proceedings, starting with jury selection on October 3. The official trial commences on October 4, during which Bankman-Fried will face seven fraud charges, with two being substantive charges requiring the prosecution to prove his guilt and five conspiracy charges alleging that he planned to commit the crimes.
The trial spans 15 full days in October and an additional six in November. There will be no sessions between October 20 and 25, or on weekends.
Additionally, public holidays on October 9 and November 10 will result in no trial proceedings. November 3 is another date with no trial scheduled.
Sam Bankman-Fried has been in pre-trial detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center since August 11. His legal team has made multiple attempts to secure his temporary release to prepare for the trial, all of which have been denied.
The presiding United States District Judge Lewis Kaplan expressed sympathy for the defense’s concerns but cited the possibility of Bankman-Fried being a flight risk due to his age and the potential for a lengthy sentence if convicted.
However, Judge Kaplan did grant Bankman-Fried permission to arrive at court at 7 a.m. on most trial days, allowing him to confer with his legal team before the proceedings begin.
