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Sam Bankman-Fried Hires Mark Cohen as His Attorney: Reuters

The former head of the now-bankrupt crypto exchange, Bankman-Fried has yet to be charged with any crimes.

Updated May 9, 2023, 4:04 a.m. Published Dec 6, 2022, 8:59 p.m.
(Midjourney/CoinDesk)
(Midjourney/CoinDesk)

Sam Bankman-Fried has retained high-profile defense attorney Mark Cohen, reported Reuters on Tuesday, citing confirmation from Bankman-Fried's spokesperson Mark Botnick.

A partner at Cohen & Gresser, Mark Cohen is a former federal prosecutor and recently represented Ghislaine Maxwell in her sex trafficking trial.

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Though not yet formally charged with any wrongdoing, Bankman-Fried is reportedly being probed by both U.S. federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for his actions with respect to FTX – the failed crypto exchange he once led – and its sister company Alameda Research.

Since the collapse of FTX, Bankman-Fried – against what might be typical legal advice to keep one's mouth shut – has submitted to extensive questioning in numerous forums, describing his actions as leader of the exchange as possibly stupid but not criminal. The stakes, though, have been upped somewhat of late, with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) strongly suggesting that SBF appear next week before the House Committee on Financial Services, which she chairs, where he would presumably be under oath.

Read More: Sam Bankman-Fried's Self-Incrimination Tour

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
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Tom Lee urges BitMine shareholders to approve share increase ahead of January 14 vote

Screenshot of Tom Lee on CoinDesk TV (CoinDesk)

The chairman of the former bitcoin miner-turned-ether treasury firm reiterated his view that Ethereum is the future of finance.

What to know:

  • Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine Immersion (BMNR), urged shareholders to approve an increase in the company's authorized share count from 500 million to 50 billion.
  • Lee assured shareholders that the increase is not intended to dilute shares, but instead to enable capital raising, dealmaking, and future share splits.
  • Shareholders have until January 14 to vote on the proposal, with the annual meeting scheduled for January 15 in Las Vegas.