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personpersonRoberto AmentaRoberto AmentaFederal Reserve Bank of New York deputy chief investigator and Fedwire records custodian.← All People
WitnessFederal Reserve Bank of New York

Roberto Amenta

Federal Reserve Bank of New York deputy chief investigator and Fedwire records custodian.

AppearedFederal Criminal Trial
102 lines·5 proceedings·2 mentions

About

Roberto Amenta testified for the prosecution as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's deputy chief investigator. He described Fedwire as an electronic payment system for financial institutions and explained that its processing routes required interstate electronic communications.

Amenta testified that Fedwire records were created automatically and contemporaneously, remained under Federal Reserve control, and were retained for seven years. He authenticated and interpreted six transfer records from December 2013 through October 2014, identifying transaction details and confirming that each transfer used Fedwire and crossed state lines through the system's processing path.

Amenta also interpreted an August 2015 transfer of $1,126,661 from Theranos through Wells Fargo to Horizon Media through JPMorgan Chase. He explained that a change in Fedwire's processing sequence did not eliminate the interstate communication required for that transaction. On cross-examination, he agreed that retrieving the records gave him no personal knowledge of why the transfers were made, who authorized them within an organization, or what their purpose was.

Trial Record (5)

FederalFederal Criminal TrialAug 31, 2021 – Jan 3, 2022Called by prosecution

Roberto Amenta explained Fedwire's interstate processing system and authenticated records of transfers involving Theranos. On cross-examination, he acknowledged that he lacked personal knowledge of the transfers' authorization or purpose.

Day 18

DirectRoberto Amenta — DirectRoberto AmentaJohn C. Bostic5highlights42lines spoken

Summary

Roberto Amenta explained Fedwire's interstate transfer processing and recordkeeping, then authenticated Exhibit 4845 before a display failure interrupted his direct examination.

Highlights (5)

testimony highlightAmenta explained that Fedwire handled approximately 500,000 to 600,000 transactions and $3 trillion daily, and that transfers during 2013 and 2014 passed electronically through processing facilities in Texas and New Jersey.Open in transcript →
Quote“I DO. IT'S ABOUT 500- TO 600,000 TRANSACTIONS A DAY AND THE VOLUME IS $3 TRILLION A DAY.”— Roberto AmentaAmenta quantified the scale of Fedwire's daily operations.Open in transcript →
Quote“YEAH. SO ANY TRANSFER -- THE DATE IS ANY TRANSFER AFTER APRIL 27 OF '09 GOES THROUGH TWO PROCESSING FACILITIES.”— Roberto AmentaAmenta described the two-facility routing that underlay his testimony about interstate electronic communications.Open in transcript →
testimony highlightAmenta testified that Fedwire records were created automatically and contemporaneously, maintained under Federal Reserve control for seven years, and produced in response to a subpoena in the case.Open in transcript →
Show all 5 highlights
evidence eventAmenta authenticated pages 18 through 23 of Exhibit 4845 as Fedwire records produced under subpoena; the defense did not object, and the court admitted the exhibit and permitted publication.Open in transcript →

Day 19

DirectRoberto Amenta — DirectRoberto AmentaJohn C. Bostic4highlights51lines spoken

Summary

Roberto Amenta traced six 2013–2014 Fedwire transfers to Theranos, testified that they necessarily crossed state lines, and described a 2015 Theranos payment to Horizon Media after Exhibit 5428 was admitted.

Highlights (4)

testimony highlightAmenta interpreted six Fedwire records in Exhibit 4845, identifying transfers made between December 2013 and October 2014 to Comerica on behalf of Theranos.Open in transcript →
admissionAmenta confirmed that each of the six transfers used Fedwire and necessarily involved communication across state lines between Texas and New Jersey.Open in transcript →
Quote“AUGUST 3RD OF 2015. IT'S IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,126,661. THE SENDING SIDE, THE SENDER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION WAS WELLS FARGO ON BEHALF OF THERANOS, AND THE RECEIVING INSTITUTION WAS JP MORGAN CHASE ON BEHALF OF HORIZON MEDIA, INC.”— Roberto AmentaAmenta identified the date, amount, originator, and beneficiary reflected in Exhibit 5428.Open in transcript →
Quote“IT STILL REQUIRED THE SAME TWO PROCESSING CENTERS. WHAT CHANGED IN NOVEMBER 10TH OF 2014 WAS THAT THE PRIMARY SITE ALTERNATED, SO IT WOULD EITHER BE NEW JERSEY OR DALLAS THAT WOULD BE THE PRIMARY SITE.”— Roberto AmentaAmenta explained that the 2015 process continued to use two processing centers while alternating which facility served as the primary site.Open in transcript →