Preparation for the October trial, SBF is arranging expert witnesses, with hourly rates reaching $1,200.

Bloomberg cited legal documents stating that SBF will subpoena seven expert witnesses to testify in the October trial and will pay up to $1,200 per hour.

Rationalizing SBF's Behavior

Bloomberg pointed out that expert witness testimonies will relate to the valuation of FTX and Alameda Research, the exchange's infrastructure, service terms, and campaign finance law.

Witness No. 1: Former FEC Chairman Bradley Smith

Bradley Smith's hourly rate will be $1,200, expected to provide insights on the "U.S. campaign finance law" and the perspectives of campaign donors.

Prior to this, the U.S. Department of Justice dropped the illegal political donation charges against SBF and incorporated them into the existing wire fraud charges.

Recap: DOJ reintroduces SBF's illegal political donation charges, potential taint on FTX case with another witness

Potential Witness: Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, Andrew Di Wu

Andrew Di Wu will provide testimony on blockchain technology and the 2022 cryptocurrency market crash.

Expert witness and financial industry consultant, Peter Vinella, stated:

Many of SBF's charges are widely accepted practices in the traditional financial industry, including unrestricted use of client assets.

Other expert witnesses are paid hourly rates ranging from $400 to $1,100.

Prosecutors Block SBF's Witnesses from Testifying

Federal prosecutors indicated that these witnesses will only provide specific details of conversations between SBF and others to demonstrate SBF's lack of criminal intent.

Note: Expert witnesses are individuals with specialized knowledge in specific fields whose opinions and testimonies can help judges and juries better understand the professional issues involved in litigation.

Previously reported, SBF is attempting a strategy of "complying with former legal counsel's advice" to evade criminal responsibility; however, SBF's legal team previously protested against including the seven million pages of documents released by the prosecution on August 24 as evidence in the October trial, a move that was overruled by presiding Judge Lewis Kaplan.

• The DOJ requests exclusion of SBF's team witnesses, deems it may mislead the FTX case

• SBF shifts criminal responsibility to former FTX legal counsel, legal experts comment: it's a clever move

• Overwhelmed! Prosecution releases seven million pages of evidence, SBF lawyers protest: exceeded the deadline

Another federal prosecutor, Danielle Kudla, also stated:

There are already many procedures that allow SBF to spend up to 70 hours a week, reviewing documents in prison, if he chooses to do so.