Caroline Ellison, a star witness in the Bankman Fried trial, gave her testimony recently, sharing a harrowing account of the fears and anxieties she experienced while living in a small apartment in downtown San Diego.
According to Ellison, she was constantly in fear of her life while living in the area. She stated that the looming threat of violence, coupled with the alarming rate of robberies and assaults occurring daily in her neighborhood, left her living in a state of dread 24 hours a day.
She described the environment she was forced to live in as one of constant worry and fear. She recounted how, on a daily basis, residents were constantly warned to “watch out” for suspicious activity or persons, which made her feel that she was “never safe.”
As Ellison described, residents in the area were accustomed to hearing about horrendous crime stories nearly every day, leaving her feeling that she was now living in an “urban war zone.” Even though she had previously tried to flee an unstable home life, she realized upon her arrival to San Diego that it would be far too difficult for her to survive in such a hostile environment alone.
Ellison’s story provides a stark reminder of just how frightening it can be to live in a state of ongoing fear and dread. The experience Ellison recounts serves as a powerful reminder that there is no amount of money or resources that can protect an individual from the feeling of insecurity, anxiety, and dread that comes from living in a high-risk area.