XRP Lawsuit: SEC Counters Ripple’s Motion To Strike – A Detailed Analysis

As an experienced financial analyst, I believe the SEC’s motion to allow Andrea Fox’s declaration as summary evidence in the Ripple lawsuit is a sound legal move. The SEC’s argument that the declaration does not constitute expert testimony because it only provides calculations based on Ripple’s financial records and does not render any opinions is valid.


As a crypto investor following the XRP case closely, I can tell you that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has responded to Ripple Labs’ recent attempt to dismiss the declaration of their summary witness, Andrea Fox. The SEC argues that her testimony is acceptable as summary evidence under federal law, unlike what Ripple claims. In simpler terms, they believe she can provide a clear and concise summary of the case without being classified as an expert requiring extensive disclosure.

As a crypto investor, I’d explain it this way: The SEC’s recent court filing to Judge Sarah Netburn highlights that the Fox Declaration is simply a clear and straightforward presentation of mathematical calculations derived from Ripple’s financial records. This document isn’t an expert report, it doesn’t require any specialized knowledge, and it doesn’t offer any opinions whatsoever – not even those considered ‘expert’ opinions.

As an analyst, I would interpret Ripple’s argument as follows: According to Ripple, the declaration made by Fox should be disregarded since it represented hidden expert testimony. In their perspective, Fox’s responsibilities extended beyond just summarizing information. Instead, they claimed that he engaged in expert analysis, which involved interpreting financial records and making significant decisions regarding the classification of revenues and expenses.

Ripple Vs. SEC: XRP Sales Under Microscope

From my perspective as an analyst, Ripple’s argument counters that Fox did not make errors in her mathematical calculations, nor does Ripple question the reliability of our financial records. The SEC emphasizes that Fox’s declaration is intended to simplify complex financial data for the court by summarizing it, without requiring any expert judgment or unique knowledge application.

“The Fox Declaration condenses the essentials for the court from Ripple’s extensive financial and sales documents (comprising audited statements and profit-loss reports), and performs calculations based on that financial data using basic arithmetic.”

The SEC made an intriguing argument in response to Ripple’s claims that Fox’s work was influenced by her comprehension of Ripple’s financial records and XRP sales. According to the SEC, this is a common practice for any summary witness who needs to analyze and gain insights from large amounts of data.

In the proposed argument, it is pointed out that cases with comparable circumstances have established a precedent. The statement reads, “Witnesses who compile large amounts of data often make presumptions. As long as these presumptions are acknowledged and derived reasonably from the summarized data, their inclusion does not transform the summary evidence into expert testimony.”

The SEC’s submission counters Ripple’s objections concerning Fox being identified as an expert witness due to the disclosure rules mentioned in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(2). This rule requires parties to reveal any experts who will present specialized knowledge during the trial.

As a crypto investor, I understand that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made it clear that Fox does not qualify as someone who met the definition for providing analysis or opinions using specialized knowledge. I personally don’t possess any first-hand information regarding the matters under investigation. The SEC reaffirmed that no procedural rules were violated in this case.

During the course of this legal proceeding, attorney Bill Morgan, who supports Ripple and XRP, contends that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) claim regarding financial damages may not be convincing, regardless of the decision on this motion. He further elaborated in a statement through X:

As a crypto investor, I can empathize with the frustration of missing out on higher profits from a contract with Ripple compared to someone else. However, it’s important to remember that this case isn’t just about protecting investors from missing opportunities for greater gains. It’s also crucial that we safeguard investors from potential risks associated with individuals like SBF and FTX. Unfortunately, we seem to be more focused on the former than the latter.

At press time, XRP traded at $0.51561.

XRP Lawsuit: SEC Counters Ripple’s Motion To Strike – A Detailed Analysis

Read More

2024-04-30 09:11