Sam Bankman-Fried will testify at criminal trial, lawyer says

FILE PHOTO: Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, leaves following a hearing at Manhattan federal court in New York City, U.S. January 3, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried plans to testify in his own defense at his criminal fraud trial, defense lawyer Mark Cohen said during a telephone hearing on Wednesday.

Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to charges he looted billions of dollars in FTX customer funds to plug losses at his Alameda Research hedge fund, make speculative venture investments, and donate more than $100 million to U.S. political candidates and campaigns.