Strateman. FBI wants your reports, Intersango, Bitcoinica

[icicle]

He thinks he is untouchable.

For why I want Patrick Strateman and his accomplices arrested see the link in my sig. Put it this way, as well as being sat on $50,000,000 of other people's property, which can be forfeited and handed back to us using the criminal justice system rather than the civil one - he is also killing my dog.

Strateman the dog killer. Carole you must be soooo proud.

I am interested in contact from people who have suffered a financial loss or personal loss due to the various events surrounding Bitcoinica, Intersango and MomentoVPS.

I'm not interested in suing, (though if you are, that is your right and I don't object to it. You are welcome in my thread too). I just want him off the streets, but I am thinking it would be best if we all went to law enforcement. We could get the bitcoins and cash seized that way and handed back to us that without each paying for lawyers and liquidators. A few people have suggested I start my own thread.

Here it is.

[UPDATE The FBI would like each scammed individual to file their own report. san.francisco@ic.fbi.gov
I would suggest including every relevant screenshot / email etc. you have. I would also suggest including evidence of certain suspected inside jobs]

And, if you don't mind, in future I am going to refer to the scammed as 'targets' not 'victims'. I don't find the victim label helpful for inducing the correct mindset.

Victimhood ends right here. You were a 'target'. The difference being that 'targets' can return fire.

[crazy_rabbit]

I think you are not really thinking about how the law works. The police aren't going to grab a guy because a mob of us say so, take his bitcoins and cash, and redistribute it back to us- all without needing to get a lawyer.

The only way to potentially and legally get your money back, is go through the courts. I don't understand all these people who get robbed and don't file criminal charges.

[icicle]

Quite right, Rabbit. It isn't mob rule. It is done on evidence. Evidence > arrest > conviction> seizure > forfeiture > we write in and ask for our property back. That's the process. It does indeed involve courts. What is doesn't involve is us lot dipping into our pockets for these courts twice when we have paid our taxes for them already. (Non US victim? You are still welcome to send in your evidence).

And, I'm not really interested in why it can't be done, but how it is going to be done. Lawyers have been tried before and have failed in the liquidation process because, according to the stuff below, he is refusing to hand over the stolen property until he gets a payoff.





We can write to the court AFTER the conviction for our bitcoins and cash.

Here is a very simple explanation of the criteria for seizure and redistribution. I am interested in gathering enough evidence that these criteria can be shown to have been met..

http://www.shouselaw.com/asset_forfeiture.html#3.1

"3.1 Activity that can lead to asset forfeiture..

Asset forfeiture in organized crime cases is possible only when there has been a criminal conviction.78

The conviction has to be for a "pattern of criminal profiteering activity." This means that all of the following has to be true:


The conviction needs to be based on at least two criminal acts that have similar distinguishing characteristics and are not isolated events;


The crimes need to have been committed as a pattern of organized crime; and


The crimes need to have been "criminal profiteering activity," which means crimes committed for financial gain.

What is the definition of "organized crime"? It is crime that is conspiratorial-meaning, it
takes place as the result of an agreement among two or more people-and that either a) seeks to supply illegal goods and services (like drugs or prostitution) in an organized way, or b) seeks to conduct certain other illegal activities like arson for profit, smuggling, etc. through planning and coordination among several people."

Now, what is so difficult about that?

[tinus42]

Are you sure his name is not Patrick Bateman?

[icicle]

Got confused with Norman Bates for a second there. Now I come to think of it, has anyone actually met Strateman's 'mother'?

I was speaking to the FBI today. I was told a couple of things 1) they would like all 200 targets to make contact 2) it is not possible to add supplementary information to a report once filed.

I'm thinking 2) has to be wrong. Anyone with more experience of the FBI care to comment?
Also, are any of the 200 here already, or do I have to go trace every one. I'm very good at finding people, but even so, 200 might take me a month.

[proudhon]

I had ~150BTC in bitcoinica (not in any positions, mind you) when it went offline.  I missed the deadline at the beginning of the year to add additional information regarding my account, though I am listed on that investors list that Taslim Bhamji emailed out a year ago.  I guess what I'm getting at is...Help me understand if this is worth my time.

[icicle]

I had ~150BTC in bitcoinica (not in any positions, mind you) when it went offline.  I missed the deadline at the beginning of the year to add additional information regarding my account, though I am listed on that investors list that Taslim Bhamji emailed out a year ago.  I guess what I'm getting at is...Help me understand if this is worth my time.

It is so worth your time. And don't worry about missing previous deadlines. This is a whole new ballgame.

Also, when I said the '200' targets, I don't mean they are only interested in those on the list. I told the FBI there were 200. I'm pretty sure they would be interested in more, from wherever.

You don't need to provide all of this to the FBI, but gather and send your best evidence (screenshots / chatlogs / emails with headers etc. ) of whatever you have you from the list below..

Evidence that..

1) you exist
2) you had an account at Bitcoinica/Britcoin/Intersango/MomentoVPS
3) it was hacked OR you were locked out etc.
4) it was an inside job involving several people
5) you asked for your property back
6) you didn't get it
7) present day value of that property
7b) the personal impact of these events on you
9) ask that your goods be seized, forfeited and returned to you

and forward it to the email address in the first message. Make Sure 'Patrick Strateman' and 'Bitcoinica' or 'Intersango' etc. is in the title of the email. It should mostly be evidence that you can personally attest to. Then keep this evidence safe. It will be useful when it comes time to claim your forfeited property.

Then it would help if you could email me (at the address on my profile) letting me know which name on the investors list is yours, so I don't have to go find you

I don't know if that would take you 30 minutes or three weeks, but even if only half your bitcoins were left, I'd say an 80%[1] chance of a $30k payout is probably worth it.

[1] My best guess at this plan working out as anticipated.