In Bizarre Twist, SBF Finally Testifies—But With No Jury

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has spent weeks listening to his former executives, his employees, and even his ex-girlfriend testify about a massive fraud he allegedly orchestrated at the crypto exchange.

On Thursday, he finally got to tell his side of the story. But in a bizarre twist, the jury wasn’t present to hear any of it.

Judge Lewis Kaplan said he couldn’t rule on whether elements of the testimony would be admissible without first hearing it himself, effectively turning Thursday’s proceedings into a practice run. It was an unusual decision. Kaplan, who has served on the bench for nearly three decades, said he hadn’t had a hearing “of this nature in quite a long time,” or perhaps ever. The unexpected rehearsal may have served Bankman-Fried well, giving him the chance to refine his performance with reduced stakes. Federal prosecutor Danielle Sassoon was far more pointed in her questioning on Thursday than she had been with previous witnesses, and at times Bankman-Fried appeared nervous and evasive. He swiveled in his chair, frequently stammered, took swigs of water, and gave circuitous answers that left Sassoon frustrated.

Read more at The Daily Beast.