“Who Is Tom Brady”: Hammer Dropped on NFL Legend in Court as Arguments in $32 Billion FTX Scandal Take Unusual Turn

Among the first pieces of evidence presented to the jury by the prosecutors in the landmark Sam Bankman-Fried fraud case were eye-catching advertisements featuring football legend Tom Brady and comedian Larry David. The videos featured other A-list celebrities, including Brady’s ex-wife, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, endorsing FTX as the “safest and easiest way to buy and sell crypto.” However, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who has been presiding over the case, was having none of that. 

The high-profile fraud trial, which has been dominated by complex testimonies concerning computer code, cryptocurrency, and corporate finance, has had very unusual moments of levity given Judge Lewis Kaplan’s dry sense of wit.

Judge keeps the courtroom alive 

Hailed for his no-nonsense demeanor in court, the Harvard Law School graduate, Judge Lewis Kaplan, has occasionally injected witty comebacks and self-deprecating quips into Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial proceedings. “Just to make sure we’re all complete, who is Tom Brady?” said Kaplan after witnessing Brady’s television commercial assuring people of FTX being the safest platform for crypto trading. 

Not only the judge but the jury, too, showed occasional instances of unnatural behavior. Despite the high-profile status of the case, numerous jurors expressed their lack of motivation to take part in the investigation. During the trial, a juror inquired about the adjournment time on Friday, citing the need to reschedule a plane ticket, incurring an extra $1,000, while another brooded over working night shifts, potentially affecting daytime focus. Judge Kaplan had to detain the jurors, regardless. The jury might have the final say in deciding guilt or innocence, but Kaplan oversees legal arguments and potential sentencing in Bankman-Fried’s case.

Brady received ‘millions’ in exchange for FTX endorsement 

Bankman-Fried, who has often been painted as the seemingly harmless “math nerd” from MIT, faces potential conviction for embezzling around $8 billion in customer funds before his company’s bankruptcy last year. If found guilty on all seven charges, the former billionaire could be sentenced to several decades in prison. But he is not the only one facing legal action; many other A-list celebrities who have been involved in the marketing of the cryptocurrency company have been sued for endorsing unlicensed businesses. 

Read More: Indebted Tom Reveals ‘Twin Traits’ From Brady Family That Helped Him Become the NFL G.O.A.T.

In a 2021 agreement, the retired NFL quarterback received $30 million in now-worthless stock, and his ex-wife Bündchen received $18 million for their promotional work with FTX, including TV commercials aired during NFL games, TikTok videos, and hosting talk shows. Both Brady and Bündchen have pledged their innocence, however. If justice prevails, many individuals could face lengthy prison sentences.

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