- SBF surprised everyone with a new look.
- The disgraced FTX was arraigned for his first day of trial.
- The day ended without a final jury selected.
Fallen “crypto golden boy” Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was arraigned at the Manhattan federal court in New York on Tuesday morning to begin his criminal trial, in which he faces multiple counts of wire fraud and an allegation of money laundering conspiracy.
Amid competing circuses in the court premises, as former President Donald Trump was also appearing for the second day of his fraud trial, SBF arrived later than scheduled, uncuffed and in a new cleaned-up look.
The Cleaned-Up Bankman-Fried
The disgraced FTX founder, known for his unkempt curly locks and a famous T-shirt and cargo shorts uniform, appeared before Judge Lewis Kaplan in a new, well-pressed gray suit and neatly coiffed hairdo to begin the jury selection process.
SBF in court.
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A poised and seemingly unperturbed Bankman-Fried appeared well-prepared to impress his potential jurors, evident by how he stood up and smiled at them innocently when the judge asked whether any of them recognized the fallen crypto mogul.
While the media has breathlessly covered SBF and his bankrupt FTX exchange for 11 months, observers cast doubt on whether the potential jurors understood the gravity of the case before them, even though they were initially instructed not to research the case on their own.
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The court intends to wind up the jury selection process on Wednesday, October 4, with a pick of 12 jurors and six alternates.
The fact that the first day of the trial ended without a final jury selected seemed not to bother SBF, as he spent the entire time typing on his air-gap laptop.
Computer-Deprived
SBF never hides how much he loves his computer. His lawyers once asked the judge to grant him an early release as he was “unable to access a computer from prison to prepare for his case.”
A reporter allowed into the courtroom noted that SBF was “just lit up” when he saw the laptop next to his attorneys while arriving, despite the gadget lacking an internet connection.
Read why Stanford University will return gifts from SBF’s dad:
Stanford University to Return $5.5M “Gifts” from SBF’s Dad
Stay updated on SBF’s thoughts regarding the FTX collapse:
SBF’s Unposted Twitter Thread Leaks: I’m “Broke” and “Hated”
