2013-05-14 Department of Homeland Security Shuts Down Dwolla Payments to/frm Gox

[gramma]

http://betabeat.com/2013/05/department-of-homeland-security-shuts-down-dwolla-payments-to-and-from-mt-gox/

A representative for Dwolla told Betabeat that the company is “not party” to this matter and encourages those with questions to reach out to Mt. Gox or the DHS. “The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a ‘Seizure Warrant’ for the funds associated with Mutum Sigillium’s Dwolla account (a.k.a. Mt. Gox),” he said. “In light of the court order, procured by the Department of Homeland Security, Dwolla has ceased all account activities associated with Dwolla services for Mutum Sigillum while Dwolla’s holding partner transferred Mutum Sigillium’s balance, per the warrant.”

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[Gordonium]

If you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater the effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders -- what would you tell him to do?

I don't know. What could he do? What would you tell him?

To shrug.

[mccorvic]

I don't know. What could he do? What would you tell him?

Tell him to smoke a bowl.

But seriously, this is most likely related to Gox failing to lrn 2 bizness and the resulting suit with Coinlab.

[kiba]

But seriously, this is most likely related to Gox failing to lrn 2 bizness and the resulting suit with Coinlab.

Failing to lrn 2 bizness? What? Speak ENGLISH!

[marcus_of_augustus]

I don't know. What could he do? What would you tell him?

Tell him to smoke a bowl.

But seriously, this is most likely related to Gox failing to lrn 2 bizness and the resulting suit with Coinlab.

Not it is Dept. of Homeland Security ... so not a commercially driven action (officially) but done under of guise of "protecting the citizens" .... from what exactly is left to your imagination mostly.

[Bettor]

If this is even true at all, the original email said that it requires a "seizure warrant" to take funds, not the way betanews worded it. If not totally bogus, it's being used to trash BTC by someone. And why was the email only posted at HackerNews of all places?

[gramma]

Not a lot more detail, but plenty of speculation as more press take note:


http://www.businessinsider.com/dwolla-mt-gox-2013-5

Speculation, plus interesting guidance from a VC on what the community ought to do to prevent death-dealing regulation.



http://pandodaily.com/2013/05/14/dept-of-homeland-security-freezes-accounts-between-dwolla-and-bitcoin-exchange-mt-gox/

We are prompted to wonder whether this is this the first of a series of governmental assaults on the exchanges? That’s what they’d target if they want to put the kibosh on bitcoin. Or, is this a case where DHS is investigating some individual or organization who may have used bitcoins, via Dwolla, for some potentially nefarious or terroristic reasons?

Members of the PandoDaily team have spoken to sources close to the bitcoin ecosystem and have been hearing that it’s likely the former.

[StarfishPrime]

Well, this would suggest that bitcoin isn't just another tentacle of a larger surveillance project like trapwire ... or then again this could just be for plausible deniability.

[marcus_of_augustus]

DHS agents might be looking to buy in to BitCoins at a lower price? 

[Raoul Duke]

Really... by now I just wish BTC to crash and all the VC vultures to lose all the money they invested. THEY ARE THE REAL PROBLEM. Them and the bitcoin foundation, which was turned into a commercial enterprise without you guys even noticing lol

The dude from coinlab and his (bitcoinica) lawyer are... you can fill the gap by yourself if you think a little

[marcus_of_augustus]

Really... by now I just wish BTC to crash and all the VC vultures to lose all the money they invested. THEY ARE THE REAL PROBLEM. Them and the bitcoin foundation, which was turned into a commercial enterprise without you guys even noticing lol

The dude from coinlab and his (bitcoinica) lawyer are... you can fill the gap by yourself if you think a little

Yeah ... I'm in two minds here. If the VC's finally get a taste of how authoritarian the govt. has become they may turn into valuable allies. Question for me is whether the more 'compliant' amongst them can wield sufficient influence to turn bitcoin into the whipped pup the govt. might want (if they actually understood it) ... I'm betting they can't.

[Raoul Duke]

Really... by now I just wish BTC to crash and all the VC vultures to lose all the money they invested. THEY ARE THE REAL PROBLEM. Them and the bitcoin foundation, which was turned into a commercial enterprise without you guys even noticing lol

The dude from coinlab and his (bitcoinica) lawyer are... you can fill the gap by yourself if you think a little

Yeah ... I'm in two minds here. If the VC's finally get a taste of how authoritarian the govt. has become they may turn in valuable allies. Question for me is whether the more 'compliant' amongst them can weild sufficient influence to turn bitcoin into the whipped pup the govt. might want (if they actually understood it) ... I'm betting they can't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDWJGslOf70

[BitChick]

DHS agents might be looking to buy in to BitCoins at a lower price? 

If they were smart.

[kiba]

Really... by now I just wish BTC to crash and all the VC vultures to lose all the money they invested. THEY ARE THE REAL PROBLEM. Them and the bitcoin foundation, which was turned into a commercial enterprise without you guys even noticing lol

The dude from coinlab and his (bitcoinica) lawyer are... you can fill the gap by yourself if you think a little

I always thought of bitcoin as a commercial adventure.

[Raoul Duke]

Really... by now I just wish BTC to crash and all the VC vultures to lose all the money they invested. THEY ARE THE REAL PROBLEM. Them and the bitcoin foundation, which was turned into a commercial enterprise without you guys even noticing lol

The dude from coinlab and his (bitcoinica) lawyer are... you can fill the gap by yourself if you think a little

Venture capitalists building businesses around bitcoin is a good thing...

Dude, VC's don't get it right 99% of the time.
Yeah, they have a lot of money, but principles...

[gramma]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57584511-38/homeland-security-cuts-off-dwolla-bitcoin-transfers/

Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirms an "ongoing investigation" that led to Dwolla cutting off bitcoin transfers to Mt. Gox.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/05/feds-seize-money-from-top-bitcoin-exchange-mt-gox/

Nothing new.


http://gigaom.com/2013/05/14/homeland-security-seizes-funds-at-main-bitcoin-exchange-report/

Homeland Security typically executes seizure warrants in connection with criminal investigations and Coyne’s screenshot refers to actions in the US District Court of Maryland. A search of court records, however, comes up empty — which could mean the records are under seal.

[marcus_of_augustus]

Dwolla cutting off bitcoin transfers to Mt. Gox.

of course Dwolla can't cut off bitcoin transactions to Gox ... only dollar transactions. But hey never let facts get into a news story shall we?

[TraderTimm]

I knew this was coming, but I didn't see the bastards acting so soon. Its depressing, frankly. While I do know there are other exchanges and local trades won't be impeded - it bothers me that these overstepping bastards have the gall to take their blue-gloved groping into an area they barely comprehend.

There's a small chance this is a hoax, and another chance its just the first shot in the campaign to attack bitcoin.

I'm not giving up, but godammit - this really pisses me off.

[marcus_of_augustus]

I knew this was coming, but I didn't see the bastards acting so soon. Its depressing, frankly. While I do know there are other exchanges and local trades won't be impeded - it bothers me that these overstepping bastards have the gall to take their blue-gloved groping into an area they barely comprehend.

There's a small chance this is a hoax, and another chance its just the first shot in the campaign to attack bitcoin.

I'm not giving up, but godammit - this really pisses me off.

It is an obvious soft target ... all USD funds going into Mt. Gox go through ONE Dwolla account it seems. Pretty easy to apply pressure there with a sealed seizure warrant so they don't have to tell anybody anything anytime and just do it ... tie it up in courts for years. This is how LE operates these days since they got everything they wanted with the "anti-terrorism" overreach legislation and woeful judiciary rulings ... basically above the law. Suppose just be glad you aren't rotting in Gitmo for a decade waiting for a hearing. Symptomatic of the sick system ... ask anyone from former communist states how this is all playing out, they've seen it all before.

[cypherdoc]

for every action there is a reaction.

i wonder what role the Chinese will play in this.  there have been hints that they might actually support the Bitcoin concept.  is DHS sending a message?

if so, i'm sure a response will be forthcoming in some form or manner.