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personpersonPaige OwensPaige OwensFederal Bureau of Investigation forensic accountant assigned to the public corruption unit.← All People
WitnessFederal Bureau of Investigation

Paige Owens

Federal Bureau of Investigation forensic accountant assigned to the public corruption unit.

AppearedFederal Criminal Trial
128 lines·5 proceedings·2 mentions

About

Paige Owens testified for the government on Day 11 as an FBI forensic accountant and certified public accountant. Using stipulated bank records, she worked with prosecutors to prepare and check three charts applying the last-in, first-out tracing method. The charts were admitted without objection.

Her direct testimony traced selected transfers from Alameda Research, FTX Digital Markets, and North Dimension through accounts associated with Samuel Bankman-Fried, Nishad Singh, and Ryan Salame to political recipients. Owens said the government asked her to use LIFO and that her involvement was limited to preparing and reviewing the exhibits.

On cross-examination, Owens agreed that prosecutors selected the accounts, dates, transfers, and political organizations examined. She acknowledged that LIFO and FIFO are both common methods, can produce different results, and rely on assumptions because money in an account is fungible. After reviewing bank statements, she attributed the identified VIEW PAC payment under LIFO to Heller & Robbins rather than North Dimension.

Owens also agreed that her analysis traced funds leaving specified accounts but did not determine where money entering the Alameda Research and North Dimension accounts originated. On redirect, she identified selected incoming and outgoing wires that occurred on the same dates. In summation, the defense cited the VIEW PAC attribution and argued that the tracing did not establish Bankman-Fried's intent.

Trial Record (5)

FederalFederal Criminal TrialOct 3, 2023 – Nov 2, 2023Called by prosecution

Paige Owens presented government financial-tracing charts that followed selected transfers through accounts associated with FTX, Alameda, and political giving. Cross-examination addressed the government's selection of inputs, the differing results tracing methods can produce, and the analysis's upstream limits.

Day 11

DirectPaige Owens — DirectPaige OwensThane Rehn3highlights66lines spoken

Summary

FBI forensic accountant Paige Owens explained government-prepared charts tracing funds from Alameda Research, FTX Digital Markets, and North Dimension accounts through accounts associated with Samuel Bankman-Fried, Nishad Singh, and Ryan Salame to political contributions.

Highlights (3)

evidence eventOwens authenticated the accuracy and bank-record basis of three fund-flow charts; the defense did not object, and the court received Government Exhibits 1088, 1089, and 1090.Open in transcript →
Quote“These exhibits are charts that I produced in conjunction with the government that details the flow of funds from various business accounts to certain individuals and the eventual political contributions made.”— Paige OwensOwens described the purpose and government-assisted preparation of the principal tracing exhibits.Open in transcript →
testimony highlightOwens traced two Alameda wires totaling $1 million into Nishad Singh's account to 16 political-entity wires sent during October 2022.Open in transcript →
CrossPaige Owens — CrossPaige OwensChristian R. Everdell4highlights53lines spoken

Summary

Owens acknowledged that fund-tracing results depend on the chosen accounting method, attributed the identified VIEW PAC payment to Heller & Robbins after reviewing bank statements, and confirmed that she did not analyze the origin of funds entering Alameda or North Dimension accounts.

Highlights (4)

testimony highlightOwens confirmed that LIFO and FIFO are both available tracing methods, can produce different results, and impose accounting parameters because money in an account is fungible.Open in transcript →
impeachmentAfter reviewing the Greylock statements to refresh her recollection, Owens testified that under LIFO the source of the VIEW PAC payment was Heller & Robbins rather than North Dimension.Open in transcript →
Quote“Looking at these statements, using the LIFO method, the source of VIEW PAC was Heller & Robbins.”— Paige OwensOwens's refreshed recollection changed the LIFO attribution for the identified VIEW PAC payment from North Dimension to a later incoming transfer from Heller & Robbins.Open in transcript →
admissionOwens acknowledged that her analysis traced transfers from Alameda Research and North Dimension accounts but did not determine where the money in those accounts originated.Open in transcript →
RedirectPaige Owens — RedirectPaige OwensThane Rehn2highlights9lines spoken

Summary

Owens used Government Exhibit 1089 to identify selected incoming and outgoing wires occurring on the same dates, while the court sustained one form objection and overruled another.

Highlights (2)

testimony highlightThe court overruled a form objection to a transaction-specific question, and Owens identified March 11, 2022, as the date of the transfer from Samuel Bankman-Fried's account to Guarding Against Pandemics.Open in transcript →
Quote“The wire from Sam Bankman-Fried's account to Guarding Against Pandemics was sent on March 11, 2022.”— Paige OwensOwens gave a transaction-specific date while the prosecution used the chart to compare the timing of incoming and outgoing wires.Open in transcript →

Day 18