In a courtroom drama minus the jury, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) took the stand for what can be best described as a “test run.” The hearing aimed to help the judge decide what evidence will be admissible in the actual trial. SBF's performance under Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon's questioning was less than stellar. His verbose answers and frequent apologies contrasted sharply with Sassoon's pointed questions, at times making him appear evasive. The hearing also touched on SBF's use of encrypted messaging app Signal and his company's data retention policy.

Catch up on Unchained’s previous coverage: 

• SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF’s Family
• SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied’ While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable’
• SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact
• SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF’s Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda’s Special Privileges
• SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison?
• SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life'
• SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness?
• SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges
• SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender
• SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony
• SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole
• SBF Trial, Day 12: Former FTX General Counsel Speaks Out Against SBF
• Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors?
• Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify
• Here’s How Sam Bankman-Fried’s High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out
• SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried’s Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case
• The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect

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