HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas financier Allen Stanford's attorneys wound up their defense in his criminal fraud trial on Monday without calling Stanford himself to the stand, ending suspense over whether he would testify.

Stanford, 61, is accused of bilking investors from more than 100 countries by selling fraudulent certificates of deposit from Stanford International Bank in Antigua, and then using those deposits to finance his own lifestyle.

His trial began on January 23 in federal court in Houston. Prosecutors presented a series of witnesses, including former chief financial officer James Davis, who said that Stanford was deeply involved in running the bank. In their defense, Stanford's attorneys have sought to portray their client as aloof from day-to-day decisions, blaming Davis, who has pleaded guilty to fraud, and others for any wrongdoing.

Some legal experts said Stanford and his team made the right decision. "In the best of times, the decision to call the defendant is inherently problematic. There are so many things that can go wrong," said Brian Wice, a criminal defense attorney who is not involved in the case.

http://news.yahoo.com/stanford-defense-rests-without-calling-stanford-000545836.html