The jury at Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial Monday saw a photograph of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder with singer Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom at the 2022 NFL Super Bowl, as prosecutors sought to bolster their case that he squandered customer money on efforts to boost his stature.
He pleaded guilty in February to wire fraud and conspiring to violate U.S. campaign finance laws and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.Prosecutors say Bankman-Fried looted billions of dollars from FTX customers to prop up his hedge fund, Alameda Research, buy real estate, and donate more than $100 million to U.S. political campaigns to try to promote crypto-friendly legislation.
Also in the photo was Michael Kives, who ran an investment firm called K5 that Bankman-Fried proposed using as a "one-stop shop" to gain access to influential people, according to a document he wrote that prosecutors displayed. Singh testified that he worried partnering with K5 would be "toxic" to FTX's culture.
Since his trial, Bankman-Fried has been seen during testimony typing on a laptop and whispering to his lawyers.