Bitcoin Forum

Three new charges were filed Thursday against 30-year-old Ross Ulbricht who is accused of operating the deep web online drug marketplace, Silk Road.

The charges filed in a Manhattan federal court include narcotics trafficking, distribution or narcotics by means of the internet, and conspiracy to traffic in fraudulent identification documents.

http://coinfinance.com/news/new-charges-brought-against-alleged-silk-road-operator-ross-ulbricht

Quote from Roger Ver is good.

All the libertarians should line up for his defense.

Quote from article:
Ulbricht’s legal team attempted to have his case dismissed in July on the grounds that bitcoins were not considered to be money by the IRS, but his bid was denied by US District Judge Katherine Forrest, saying that “Bitcoins carry value – that is their purpose and function – and act as a medium of exchange. Bitcoins may be exchanged for legal tender, be it US dollars, euros, or some other currency. Accordingly, [the defense’s] argument fails.”

Wow, so this is the governments official position.

he was trying to off someone while sipping on small soy latte in starbucks somewhere.

Distance bitcoin from him, if you want crypto to ever succeed.

I think the charges against Ross in this case are flimsy at best. Him running SR was very similar to how the management of eBay runs eBay. The same with Craigslist. All sites likely have illegal goods for sale. Granted Ross encouraged illegal goods to be sold on SR, but there are still very important similarities. There are much more very serious actions that he allegedly did (hired a hit-man to kill people that could potentially do damage to him) but this is a very separate issue.

Well, it's Katherine Forrest's official position.

If this is true, why haven't charges been filed against him for attempting to solicit murder?

He has been. It is a separate case that will take place in MD where the guy who was the middle man for a large coke (I think it was coke) purchase that turned out to be a sting. I believe this trial is going to be after the SR related trial.

I think DPR is even more nefarious than Walter White.

Let us compare the body counts of the fictional characters "The Dread Pirate Roberts" (multiple successors) and Walter White (one man).

This is the government's position in this specific case. This is a true statement. The public does give bitcon value. Bitcoin can be exchanged for fiat money.