The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York has appointed Joseph Nocella as interim US Attorney, stepping in as jury selection begins for the criminal trial of Braden John Karony, the former CEO of SafeMoon. Nocella was appointed by President Donald Trump and will serve for 120 days or until a Senate-confirmed nominee is in place. Karony faces serious charges including securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy, linked to allegations of misappropriating funds from SafeMoon's SFM token between 2021 and 2022. He has pleaded not guilty and has been out on a $3 million bond since February 2024. During this transitional period, Nocella emphasized his focus on prosecuting serious crimes, although it remains uncertain how his appointment might influence the ongoing trial. The case is notable within the Eastern District, which deals with various issues in the digital assets space, in contrast to its neighbor, the Southern District of New York, which is addressing the sentencing of former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky.

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