[2015-04-04] NYdailynews: man wants to be arrested for donating BTC to Snowden

[pawel7777]

Oregon man wants to be arrested for donating Bitcoin to Edward Snowden

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ore-man-seeks-arrest-donating-bitcoin-edward-snowden-article-1.2173716

An Oregon computer programmer hopes a measly donation of $0.33 in Bitcoin to Edward Snowden’s legal fees lands him in trouble with the U.S. government.

Kristopher Ives says his Bitcoin donation violates an executive order prohibiting the transfer of funds to those that threatened national security domestically and overseas, an order thar he believes specifically targets the former government contractor who leaked thousands of documents.

 “I think if somebody is martyred over 33 cents, there’s a bigger problem,” Ives told the Daily News.
...

And here's his original reddit post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/31443f/donating_to_snowden_is_now_illegal_and_the_us/cpydvjh

[Lethn]

That's fantastic, that guy has balls lol It does prove a point though, is the government actually going to jail us or prosecute us for moving Bitcoin to places that breaks their laws?

[bryant.coleman]

That's fantastic, that guy has balls lol It does prove a point though, is the government actually going to jail us or prosecute us for moving Bitcoin to places that breaks their laws?

This is not a joke. You might face prosecution, if you actually transfer Bitcoins to Snowden. BurtW was arrested and his funds seized for just trading in Bitcoin. And as far as I am concerned, funding Snowden's legal expense is a step above that. 

Accept the reality. Bankers now own the USA. Don't destroy your career and ruin your family. If you want to do something like this, then move out of the United States.

[Lethn]

I'm already outside the U.S, sucker, honestly, I've made a mental note to avoid that country like the plague, I might visit it once or twice to meet some friends on the internet RL but that's about it. But honestly, as I've said, they may be able to prosecute and jail several people over using Bitcoin, but do you really think they can go after thousands transferring each other $30 or so across state lines or internationally?

The cost of all that just wouldn't be worth it, the prisons would fill up and the government wouldn't have anything to confiscate, especially considering the U.S jails people on a profit basis.

[bryant.coleman]

But honestly, as I've said, they may be able to prosecute and jail several people over using Bitcoin, but do you really think they can go after thousands transferring each other $30 or so across state lines or internationally?

They don't need to jail thousands of people. They will jail two or three, and that will scare away 99% of the potential donors. Remember what happened to those guys who uploaded movies to the internet using torrents. 

[redsn0w]

But honestly, as I've said, they may be able to prosecute and jail several people over using Bitcoin, but do you really think they can go after thousands transferring each other $30 or so across state lines or internationally?

They don't need to jail thousands of people. They will jail two or three, and that will scare away 99% of the potential donors. Remember what happened to those guys who uploaded movies to the internet using torrents. 

But I think people will continue to donate and donate, they cannot stop all the people or am I wrong? Donate to another person it is a part of our freedom, I can donate to you few satoshi and you can donate me. This is not "illegal", and this world is just going crazy every day. All my support also to snowden, he is (was) really courageous .

[Denker]

But honestly, as I've said, they may be able to prosecute and jail several people over using Bitcoin, but do you really think they can go after thousands transferring each other $30 or so across state lines or internationally?

They don't need to jail thousands of people. They will jail two or three, and that will scare away 99% of the potential donors. Remember what happened to those guys who uploaded movies to the internet using torrents.  

What happened or had changed? Nothing! 3 gone and 10+ new come and replace them. Furthermore check the web for streaming sites where people watch just launched movies for free. The effect of determent is almost 0!

[bryant.coleman]

What happened or had changed? Nothing! 3 gone and 10+ new come and replace them. Furthermore check the web for streaming sites where people watch just launched movies for free. The effect of determent is almost 0!

I was just giving an example of the FBI strategy, which is used to scare people. I agree that in the case of torrents, it mostly failed to deter the uploaders. But personally, I know some of my friends who stopped downloading movies just because they were shit scared of the FBI.

[pawel7777]

But honestly, as I've said, they may be able to prosecute and jail several people over using Bitcoin, but do you really think they can go after thousands transferring each other $30 or so across state lines or internationally?

They don't need to jail thousands of people. They will jail two or three, and that will scare away 99% of the potential donors. Remember what happened to those guys who uploaded movies to the internet using torrents. 

But I think people will continue to donate and donate, they cannot stop all the people or am I wrong? Donate to another person it is a part of our freedom, I can donate to you few satoshi and you can donate me. This is not "illegal", and this world is just going crazy every day. All my support also to snowden, he is (was) really courageous .

They cannot stop them all and they won't even try. They'll only go after big donations and, most of all, after those who donated openly (unanimously).

So if Kristopher Ives faces any charges, the only sensible course of action to support him would be to get some critical mass of people, at least 10,000 to do the same thing he did. And if there's enough media attention around it, the gov would have to loose their stance on such donations.

But I don't see such scenario very likely to happen.