Brock Pierce and why Bitcoin does not need his skeevy connection

[cryptodevil]

Many of you are already familiar with the, frankly appalling, history of Brock Pierce, the current Chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation.

But it has been a while since the initial outrage at his appointment to the board and, while history has shown us that he and his paedophile chums prefer the tactic of avoiding responsibility for their actions and just hoping the furore will burn itself out, I think it is time we revisit the known facts which explain why Bitcoin, The Bitcoin Foundation and this industry in general, needs to distance itself from him as fast and as far as it can.

"An Open Secret FULL DOCUMENTARY"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0V_j8G3cNQ&app=desktop

This documentary gives an in-depth look at child sexual abuse in Hollywood. Brock Pierce is first mentioned at mark 26:06 and what follows is a disturbing insight into how he and his associates conducted their business and social lives. He is referenced throughout the documentary, including in legal deposition citing how he and his powerful industry friends were accused of grooming, drugging, using and abusing young boys. Many of these men are convicted sex offenders. Many of them, even after their high-profile convictions, continue to work in Hollywood with children. So it proves that if an industry is willing to ignore and normalise convicted sexual predators operating unopposed, because of the allure of money and power, cryptocurrency, which *is* money and power, needs to decide if it, too, wants to simply ignore the elephant in the room which is Brock Pierce's public and proven past.

I urge all of you who may not yet be aware of the history of the man who is the public and industry face of bitcoin to watch this documentary and gain insight into who Brock Pierce is and how he and his associates stand accused of destroying the lives of young boys. He is the Chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation and as much as some might claim them to be irrelevant, mainstream media and commerce sees them as the first point of contact when wanting to speak to 'someone from bitcoin'.

At the end of the documentary a 'rogues gallery' sequence leads to this image:


Watch the documentary and then tell me if you still feel his position as Chairman of The Bitcoin Foundation is irrelevant to the public and commercial perception of Bitcoin.

Make.Some.Noise.

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[Kakmakr]

The Bitcoin Foundation has no relevance anymore and they are much weaker than they were in 2012 when they were at their peak. Nobody wanted them back then and nobody wants them now. The original members included Gavin Andresen, Charlie Shrem, Mark Karpeles, Peter Vessenes, Roger Ver, and Patrick Murck. What is more scary than some of these people?

I thought Brock Pierce was a victim of this? If you browse this forum you will find a lot of discussion about this during that time. ^smile^ https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=613214.0 Was these allegations ever proven in courts?

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=605159.0

[pereira4]

I think no one cares about Bitcoin Foundation anymore after the Karpeles incident plus a lot more controversial stuff that happened. I remember Karpeles even had registered his cat as a member of the Bitcoin Foundation. I think we don't need any group like that, we just need good coders and let the code do all the talking (and right now we have the best team aka Bitcoin Core team).

[cryptodevil]

I think no one cares about Bitcoin Foundation anymore after the Karpeles incident plus a lot more controversial stuff that happened.

Perhaps nobody in the industry cares, but;

Because in the eyes of Government and the broader public, The Bitcoin Foundation speaks for all bitcoiners. 

We should definitely care.

[Carlton Banks]

The original members included

Gavin Andresen,

Charlie Shrem,

Mark Karpeles,

Peter Vessenes,

Roger Ver,

and Patrick Murck.


What is more scary than some of these people?

Terrifying list of Bitcoin Judas's (possibly with the exception of Shrem, his only crime against Bitcoin that I recall was foolishness).

[cryptodevil]

http://web.archive.org/web/20080418073324/http://www.radaronline.com/from-the-magazine/2007/11/den_chads_world_marc_collins_rector_1-print.php

Evidence uncovered by Radar suggests the dot-com pedophile may once again have struck it rich, this time concealing his wealth through a new Internet venture controlled by Brock Pierce. As founder of IGE (Internet Gaming Entertainment), Pierce has made a killing selling broadswords, battle axes, and other assets to enthusiasts of multiplayer online games like EverQuest and World of Warcraft. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company hires gamers—thought to be Chinese nationals working in virtual sweatshops—to rack up items inside the games and sell them for real-world dollars to participants who have more money than skill. While not illegal, such deals do run afoul of game rules and are detested by many players.

Sales of digital assets could soon be a $7 billion-a-year industry, according to IGE. Pierce, it's safe to assume, has made a fortune. Upon his return from Spain, he made out-of-court settlements for his role in the M&C debauchery.

There is good reason to believe, however, that Collins-Rector also has a stake in the company. Daniel Cheren, a lawyer who represented three of the boys in their civil suits, openly voices his suspicions about Collins-Rector's involvement, and suggests that money from the new venture should go to the victims. Among other indications, when IGE first surfaced, it listed an address in Marbella, Spain, the town where the trio hid out. Paperwork for the company's incorporation in the United States was filed by Matt Rector, Collins-Rector's brother, along with Collins-Rector's former business partner, attorney Randy Maslow—then IGE's executive vice president.

There is so much wrong with this that it goes way beyond his pathetic, "I did not have sexual relations with . . ." Clinton-eqsue denial when his chequered past was put to him following the public outcry at his appointment to TBF.

[cryptodevil]

Also, i think some of use would disagree to the fact that The Bitcoin Foundation speaks for all bitcoiner.

I think we don't really need The Bitcoin Foundation, but to prevent people think bitcoin as something bad, it would be better if he quit from his position.

As I said, the problem isn't about what we think of them, it is what the public and commercial perception is and, at this time, The Bitcoin Foundation is the 'go to' recognised contact point for them.

Brock Pierce will always be one internet search query away from tarnishing the entire cryptocurrency industry and this documentary just adds to that common perception of bitcoin being associated with general seediness and criminality. If it weren't so tragic it would be laughable that we have a man with his history as the elected leader of the Bitcoin Foundation.

[LiteCoinGuy]

tltw? 

[cryptodevil]

tltw? 

Translation?

[bitconerian]

tltw?  

Translation?

I believe he's requesting the TL;DR (abridged) version.

The original members included
Gavin Andresen,
Charlie Shrem,
Mark Karpeles,
Peter Vessenes,
Roger Ver,
and Patrick Murck.

What is more scary than some of these people?

Terrifying list of Bitcoin Judas's (possibly with the exception of Shrem, his only crime against Bitcoin that I recall was foolishness).

When I first came to town
All the people gathered round
They bought me drinks
Lord, how they quickly changed their tune

When I first came to town
People took me 'round from end to end
Like someone may take 'round a friend
Oh how quickly they changed their tune

Suspicion and dark rumors surround me
Everywhere I go they confound me
As though the blood on my hands
Is there for every
                       citizen
                                    to see

O, sweet Jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more coin
A little further down the track

[Carlton Banks]

Interesting abridged version, longer than the original?


Which of the figures in that list were celebrated by anyone significant "when they first came to town"? You people are beginning to sound extremely eccentric

[bitconerian]

Anyone significant? Such as? You'll have to be a bit concise.
These people (possibly not the kiddie diddler) were celebrated by the bitcoin community as a whole. You bet

As far as being longer than the original? You mean this sentence: "I believe he's requesting the TL;DR (abridged) version"? Not by any measure. Not that it aim to be.

[Carlton Banks]

Anyone significant? Such as? You'll have to be a bit concise.
These people (possibly not the kiddie diddler) were celebrated by the bitcoin community as a whole. You bet

As far as being longer than the original? You mean this sentence: "I believe he's requesting the TL;DR (abridged) version"? Not by any measure. Not that it aim to be.

Only Andresen was feted to any extent, Ver literally introduced himself to the world as Jesus, I do not recall a single incident mentioning the moniker that didn't involve Roger saying it himself in an interview.

Re: abridged etc, I'm referring to the comparative length of your bizarre sea shanty

[bitconerian]

Anyone significant? Such as? You'll have to be a bit concise.
These people (possibly not the kiddie diddler) were celebrated by the bitcoin community as a whole. You bet

As far as being longer than the original? You mean this sentence: "I believe he's requesting the TL;DR (abridged) version"? Not by any measure. Not that it aim to be.

Only Andresen was feted to any extent, Ver literally introduced himself to the world as Jesus, I do not recall a single incident mentioning the moniker that didn't involve Roger saying it himself in an interview.

Re: abridged etc, I'm referring to the comparative length of your bizarre sea shanty

Sure, no revisionism here. We've always been at war with Eastasia.
Without MagicalTux (who we never liked anyway), BTC would be trading in the double digits. If that.
Regarding the "sea shanty," that had nothing to do with abridging OP, it was a reply to your post. Which didn't ask for TL;DR.

[Carlton Banks]

Sure, no revisionism here. We've always been at war with Eastasia.

No, literally all those people variously attempted to cast themselves as Bitcoin's new BBF, with mixed results. Gavin Andresen was the most convincing. Not any more.

[bitconerian]

Sure, no revisionism here. We've always been at war with Eastasia.

No, literally all those people variously attempted to cast themselves as Bitcoin's new BBF, with mixed results. Gavin Andresen was the most convincing. Not any more.

No, literally all those people were lionized by the "bitcoin community." And those daring to question them were told to STFU.
Related personal experience:
Questioning NeoBee's business model, being called a troll. Same with suggesting that cypherdoc was financially incentivized to lie like a rug.

Of course, once those gentlemen got done with you, you got tossed out of bed without so much as a goodbye kiss or even some bus fare home. But ...hey, you never cared for them anyway, amirite?

[pereira4]

I think no one cares about Bitcoin Foundation anymore after the Karpeles incident plus a lot more controversial stuff that happened.

Perhaps nobody in the industry cares, but;

Because in the eyes of Government and the broader public, The Bitcoin Foundation speaks for all bitcoiners. 

We should definitely care.

Well, we should make it clear to the government that the Bitcoin Foundation does not speak for all bitcoiners.
I prefer to send a single guy like Andreas to represent Bitcoin than some "Foundation". All those so called foundations always end up corrupted anyway.

[cryptodevil]

Have any of you actually watched the documentary I linked to in the OP?