US gov agencies declaring war on BTC? Timing of recent events is suspicious

[glendall]

Oh just was wondering if anyone is down for some idle speculation.

I find it a little to coincidental that SR, BTC-TC, Bitfunder, were shut down, and Bitcointalk hacked, all in a really short span of time.

It might be coincidence. But possibly could also see the timing of these events as a calculated (or at least convenient) effort to really hurting Bitcoin by having these events happen so close to one another.

If it was an effort to do so, it failed I think (those caused a lot of grief and havoc, especially for US citizens on those two exchanges)... but is a bad sign. Bitcoin would be fine without the US but of course it would hamper it's adoption at least significantly if the American gov' was very hostile to it.

[1714151144]

1714151144

[crazy_rabbit]

I find it a little to coincidental that SR, BTC-TC, Bitfunder, were shut down, and Bitcointalk hacked, all in a really short span of time.

There's no evidence the US government is hostile to BTC. Maybe some state governments, but the Federal government has said they see BTC as legal and that it has legitimate uses. What they don't have any need to say is that BREAKING the law (be it drug laws, securities law, financial regulation law, etc....) is still illegal. Bitcointalk was just some hackers thinking it was a nice opportunity to cause havoc. So no, the US gov enforcing laws is not a war on BTC. It's business as usual.

[ex-trader]

SR was shut because of drugs not BTC.

Bitfunder and BTC-TC shut/restricted themselves because they realised that what they have always known was illegal could have very serious personal consequences if they continued - ie 'shit just got real'.

Bitcointalk was likely unrelated.

[desired_username]

Bitcointalk was likely unrelated.

Somehow I just cannot accept that.

Bitcointalk is the number 1 gathering place of everyone involved with BTC.

The database is just priceless.

[repentance]

Bitcointalk was likely unrelated.

Somehow I just cannot accept that.

Bitcointalk is the number 1 gathering place of everyone involved with BTC.

The database is just priceless.

For those who knew where to look - which should have been pretty much everyone - it would have taken 30 seconds to confirm that the person responsible for CosbyCoin was responsible for the rockets.

And the database is not "priceless" - or at least it shouldn't be.  The forums are an important historical record, but if people who are trying to fly under the radar are leaving clues to their activities and real life identities on here (either in the forums or in PM), then they need a slap up the side of the head. 

[crazy_rabbit]

Bitcointalk was likely unrelated.

Somehow I just cannot accept that.

Bitcointalk is the number 1 gathering place of everyone involved with BTC.

The database is just priceless.

Why? The database is also open, with the exceptions of email and passwords. Everything written here is public record. Not even your PM's are 'personal'.

[p2pbucks]

God bless  BTC

[Bitcoinpro]

God bless  BTC

indeed

[viboracecata]

SR was shut because of drugs not BTC.

Bitfunder and BTC-TC shut/restricted themselves because they realised that what they have always known was illegal could have very serious personal consequences if they continued - ie 'shit just got real'.

Bitcointalk was likely unrelated.

Have bitfunder and btctc officially released some comment somewhere to express that they are illegal?

[repentance]

Actually, there is one thing which is kind of interesting - though maybe in a reverse way.

When Dwolla received a seizure warrant for MtGox's account back in May people assumed it was "an attack on Bitcoin".

"The Department of Homeland Security and US District Court for the District of Maryland issued a ‘Seizure Warrant’ for the funds associated with Mutum Sigillum’s Dwolla account (a.k.a. Mt. Gox)," a Dwolla spokesperson told NYO's BetaBeat. "Dwolla has ceased all account activities... for Mutum Sigillum while Dwolla’s holding partner transferred Mutum Sigillum’s balance, per the warrant."

It isn't yet clear why this seizure happened, and Dwolla isn't saying anything beyond confirming the court order. Mt. Gox didn't immediately responded to an inquiry from Ars about the seizure. A user on Bitcoin StackExchange published this short reply received from an inquiry to Mt. Gox about the shut-down: "Thank you for the e-mail. We can see that the Dwolla transactions are not getting processed right now. We will contact Dwolla and post an announcement regarding this. Your patience is appreciated till then."

A DHS spokeswoman declined to comment on the case, "in order not to compromise this ongoing investigation being conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore."

The grand jury indictment against DPR was issued in Maryland and court records related to that case go back to May - some of them remain unsealed.

http://www.popehat.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/MarylandUlbrichtDocket.pdf

DPR used Technocash.  It's highly possible he used other payment processors - including Dwolla - as well to try to launder some of his SR commissions.

[ex-trader]

SR was shut because of drugs not BTC.

Bitfunder and BTC-TC shut/restricted themselves because they realised that what they have always known was illegal could have very serious personal consequences if they continued - ie 'shit just got real'.

Bitcointalk was likely unrelated.

Have bitfunder and btctc officially released some comment somewhere to express that they are illegal?

No - do you really imagine anyone would be stupid enough to do such a thing?

[LiteCoinGuy]

bitfunder is shut down? since when? works here

[greyhawk]

bitfunder is shut down? since when? works here

Now go there again and read their message this time.

[dope]

bitfunder is shut down? since when? works here

Pretty sure it isn't shut down, they are just not allowing US customers anymore

[Luckybit]

bitfunder is shut down? since when? works here

Pretty sure it isn't shut down, they are just not allowing US customers anymore

The fact that you're a customer instead of a user is part of the problem. They are still an unregulated securities market, and wish to remain unregulated. If you're going to pay them for being unregulated why not just go to a regulated securities market or become a user of colored coins?

[tclo]

Big Oil and Big Pharma and Wall Street/Big Banks own the USA and the government.   

The Big Banks of course are hostile to bitcoin.  They would love to put a bullet in its head and their lackeys (politicians) that they have in their pocket will try to do this.  That is what they are paid to do.