Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

[cjmoles]

He was directly participating in drug deals by escrowing and actively creating and hosting a community explicitly for that purpose.

That's a long old way from just providing a neutral platform that's used for nefarious reasons. Openbazaar will no doubt have a druggy section. Its creators won't be culpable because all they're doing is providing software that they have no control over.

The creator of Bittorrent has never been charged for anything because he hasn't done anything wrong. It's the users who are breaking laws.

See, that general thought process is way to grey for me to feel comfortable acknowledging.  I mean, with all of the turing capabilities and smart contract computing....etc....it seems like the Silk Road precedence is bound to set up a slippery slope for future platforms.


And it's not my contention that Ulbricht shouldn't have been found culpable; it's the degree of culpability that's unjustified in my mind.

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[dsagf24324]

Bryant, I don't want to be polemic with you. This post is only to satisfy one my simple curiosity. And maybe to understand more. Maybe all you write is correct. I cannot know the right about this question. The only thing that is sure in this story (and no one from both us can deny) is that Ross Ulbricht is a person who had created and owned the most profitable platform to hold the most enormous market of illegal things (dangerous things for the people) in the USA in which were moved millions of us dollars.

Ross Ullbrich profited from his activity, to some extent. He received tens of thousands of Bitcoins as fee, but he didn't converted any of that to fiat. Yes. Trading of drugs are illegal in the United States. But drug legalization is spreading all over the world. Portugal and Uruguay have legalized all forms of recreational drugs.

Him's activity helped essentially (in the meaning that without it everything was impossible to exist) this market which create disease and distress in thousand and thousand (maybe more) people. I have only a question: Why FBI can make such thing mentioned by you in your post if only the above things mentioned by me in this post are enough to condemn Ross Ulbricht lifetime in prison? Why needed such invention, such action from FBI?

The FBI want to scare away all future online drug marketeers. So they made an example out of Ross.

[gentlemand]

See, that general thought process is way to grey for me to feel comfortable acknowledging.  I mean, with all of the turing capabilities and smart contract computing....etc....it seems like the Silk Road precedence is bound to set up a slippery slope for future platforms.

But it applies to every area of life. Car manufacturers aren't culpable if someone's using their product to deliver drugs or run people over.

If Mr Ulbricht had just designed a site that allowed vendors and sellers to meet and integrated an escrow system and set it free for anyone to use he'd be fine. It would be the actual operator of the site who was jailed. In that case it was him.

I agree that his sentence is ludicrous. I also believe he deserved to be nailed.

[cjmoles]

See, that general thought process is way to grey for me to feel comfortable acknowledging.  I mean, with all of the turing capabilities and smart contract computing....etc....it seems like the Silk Road precedence is bound to set up a slippery slope for future platforms.

But it applies to every area of life. Car manufacturers aren't culpable if someone's using their product to deliver drugs or run people over.

If Mr Ulbricht had just designed a site that allowed vendors and sellers to meet and integrated an escrow system and set it free for anyone to use he'd be fine. It would be the actual operator of the site who was jailed. In that case it was him.

I agree that his sentence is ludicrous. I also believe he deserved to be nailed.

And it's not my contention that Ulbricht shouldn't have been found culpable; it's the degree of culpability that's unjustified in my mind.

[Cereberus]

He did cause the bad title that bitcoin has today. He is not being charged for using bitcoin as a method to fund his business he is being charged for what he was selling which was illegal.
There is no discussion whether it was right or wrong here. It was obviously wrong so the charges are sticking.
Comparing it to torrenting is a whole different story. There is different rules around the world and how policing works for everyone of those. But I know for certain that drugs that he was selling is illegal in everyone of those countries and jurisdictions.

[gentlemand]

And it's not my contention that Ulbricht shouldn't have been found culpable; it's the degree of culpability that's unjustified in my mind.

Well, I seriously doubt there would've have been any sales had he not been escrowing them so every single transaction had his hand in it and that's the type of volume most drug dealers could only dream of.

[cjmoles]

And it's not my contention that Ulbricht shouldn't have been found culpable; it's the degree of culpability that's unjustified in my mind.

Well, I seriously doubt there would've have been any sales had he not been escrowing them so every single transaction had his hand in it and that's the type of volume most drug dealers could only dream of.

Here's one:....the engineers designing these remotely operated GPS programmable drones and selling them to the drug cartel in Mexico: what degree of culpability should they receive?  It is a slippery slope...the highest degree of culpability should go to the manufacturers, the transporters, and the product enforcers....not those who're niave enough to be caught in the middle.

[PAKYU]

The only thing that i can remember of silk road founder ross ulbricht are, they success bring customer bought thousands bitcoin  and spent there. Very helpfull for bitcoin price itself 

[johnsmith1964]

Ross got completely run over by the government. They really wanted to use him as an example to other potential law breakers.

He was just unlucky but also a bit careless in how he got caught, but his sentence was a shock!

[QuestionAuthority]

Ross got completely run over by the government. They really wanted to use him as an example to other potential law breakers.

He was just unlucky but also a bit careless in how he got caught, but his sentence was a shock!

A San Francisco magic mushroom using wannabe hippie dope head was careless and got caught? Wow, what a shocker. His sentence wasn't a shock, it was expected considering his was a "first of its kind" type crime. They always throw the book at "firsts".

[gambit1]

Anybody know if he's appealing and what the state of it is. Not that I care a vast amount but as long as we are talking about it.

[STT]

If he is smart he will wait a while, not use up all his attempts on futile efforts.  Might require a change of administration.    My own take is that eventually punitive political offensives like this will not stand as and when government no longer has money to burn holding non violent prisoners, they will be more discerning who they throw away the keys on.  Right now its duck season and he was a good shot for +poll headlines, they'll not release so long as there is kudos in the balance

[gambit1]

Washington will have money for pointless wars, foolhardy imperialism and domestic tyranny for a while yet, probably decades, so I'm not sure Ross can find much comfort in that. Also, there's near 2 million non-violent prisoners that can be released before him, most of whom didn't thumb their nose at Washington so brazenly.

He needs an actual appeal.

[OmegaStarScream]

Anybody know if he's appealing and what the state of it is. Not that I care a vast amount but as long as we are talking about it.

http://freeross.org/donate-now-2/  (there is BTC donation option if people want to help him)
His parents didn't reach the goal yet so I don't think they are going to do anything till then .

[gambit1]

I think I'll pass on donating. Believe me when I say I think there are more worthy causes. I do feel for him though. A bit.

[STT]

I'd say two decades maybe something like, people wont know or care what he might have done by then and maybe alot of the politics will move on.   The balance might shift so that there is goodwill achieved by freeing him even, its not like he is charles manson reaffirming his original sentence on every sight

Washington will run dry eventually, right now they are subsidised by other world governments who hold that debt as a trading piece.   Its an unlikely system to last forever when emphasis has shifted, after world war two USA was 35% of world production but now the thread is wearing a little thin that holds these things in place I think.   No great conspiracy required to see change, its natural I guess and an offshoot is less money for pointless incarceration.   Nobody much argues this but theres some positives to a failed system, stopping

[mirana12345]

Anybody know if he's appealing and what the state of it is. Not that I care a vast amount but as long as we are talking about it.

http://freeross.org/donate-now-2/  (there is BTC donation option if people want to help him)
His parents didn't reach the goal yet so I don't think they are going to do anything till then .

I may be sceptic but why in the world would anyone want to donate to the drug dealer ? Just because he used bitcoins ?
You people should get your priorities straight. He an alike are the reason why bitcoin is associated with illicit things, so there's 0 chance i'll donate anything to him.

[OmegaStarScream]

Anybody know if he's appealing and what the state of it is. Not that I care a vast amount but as long as we are talking about it.

http://freeross.org/donate-now-2/  (there is BTC donation option if people want to help him)
His parents didn't reach the goal yet so I don't think they are going to do anything till then .

I may be sceptic but why in the world would anyone want to donate to the drug dealer ? Just because he used bitcoins ?
You people should get your priorities straight. He an alike are the reason why bitcoin is associated with illicit things, so there's 0 chance i'll donate anything to him.

I don't know mate , I won't be donating either but It was just a suggestion for those who are sympathizing with him and the fact that they got 400k $ already means that there is some people who want to help to get out .

[gentlemand]

I'd say two decades maybe something like, people wont know or care what he might have done by then and maybe alot of the politics will move on.   The balance might shift so that there is goodwill achieved by freeing him even, its not like he is charles manson reaffirming his original sentence on every sight

There are plenty of people serving time for long forgotten crimes and rightly so. It's not a popularity contest. If he'll be remembered for anything it'll be for unleashing a whole world of inconvenience for law enforcement types. I don't think anyone'll be in a forgiving mood.

[STT]

I dont compare his crimes to Pablo Escobar or current ilk of that line of business.   He might be guilty of personally arranging some drug deal I guess but to put him on the same level of those druglords does seem political not logical.   My main point is I think it'll take time for a different perspective, they'll not consider anything acceptable as appeal and I doubt the justice system is robust enough to change the tide on politics influence in this.  He is about done as all those people convicted on DNA that was faulty, details dont matter when they have this absolute held over him