$\mathrm{SL}_{4}(\mathbf{Z})$ is not purely matricial field

Abstract

We prove that every finite dimensional unitary representation of $\mathrm{SL}_{4}(\mathbf{Z})$ contains a non-zero $\mathrm{SL}_{2}(\mathbf{Z})$-invariant vector. As a consequence, there is no sequence of finite-dimensional representations of $\mathrm{SL}_{4}(\mathbf{Z})$ that gives rise to an embedding of its reduced $C^*$-algebra into an ultraproduct of matrix algebras.