irc Chat with KARPELES(MtGox) from today 25th Feb

[frito]

[10:39] == JonWickedFire [IP REDACTED] has joined CHANNELNAME
[10:40] == mode/CHANNELNAME
[10:47] == MagicalTux [~MagicalTu@mtgox/staff/MagicalTux] has joined CHANNELNAME
[10:48] <JonWickedFire> Hey Mark.
[10:48] <JonWickedFire> Thanks for coming in.. I know you're a bit.. shaken up and stressed..
[10:51] <MagicalTux> hi
[10:51] <JonWickedFire> Are you doing okay?
[10:52] <MagicalTux> more or less
[10:52] <MagicalTux> it's 1am and tomorrow morning first time I have a lawyer appointment
[10:52] <MagicalTux> things couldn't be better
[10:52] <MagicalTux> (well, not tomorrow but today, now)
[10:53] <JonWickedFire> Yeah, you're in the future over there in Japan, lol.
[10:53] <MagicalTux> guys in NZ are even more in the future
[10:54] <JonWickedFire> Yeah two places I've wanted to visit but cringe at the flight time alone.
[10:55] <JonWickedFire> So I just wanted to talk to you on here, no pressure, you don't have to answer anything you don't want to. I'm not a journalist.
[10:55] <JonWickedFire> We've chatted before briefly. So you know a lil something on me.
[10:56] <MagicalTux> yep
[10:56] <JonWickedFire> And with all of what happened yesterday, even though I knew all of that, I didn't let me contacts at FOX Business publish it, because I didn't want to see bitcoin or gox going up in flames if it could be salvaged.
[10:57] <JonWickedFire> Obviously holding that info back and not publishing a tumblr or leaking docs first allowed someone else to stake a claim on it first.
[10:58] <JonWickedFire> But you win some you lose some.. and honestly, I'm not a fan of people posting things that are rumors or bullshit or not verified just because it damages the shit out of someone or a company... and it really cannot be taken back afterwards.
[10:58] <JonWickedFire> Is that Crisis Strategy Draft even legit?
[11:04] <MagicalTux> more or less
[11:05] <MagicalTux> as the name suggests it's a draft, and it's a bunch of proposals to deal with the issue at hand, not things that are actually planned and/or done
[11:06] <MagicalTux> this said this document was not produced by MtGox
[11:07] <JonWickedFire> I saw some strategies in there that I had shared with you, but also saw some things in there that I would have never suggested anyone ever go through with as it would make you look horrible..
[11:07] <JonWickedFire> I think a lot of people ignored the draft part.
[11:08] <JonWickedFire> It was just really surprising to see that being "leaked"..
[11:10] <JonWickedFire> Do you think it was leaked by someone purposely to hurt you personally or gox in general?
[11:13] <MagicalTux> [01:09:51] <JonWickedFire> Do you think it was leaked by someone purposely to hurt you personally or gox in general? <- I have some doubts
[11:14] <JonWickedFire> Heh, I bet.
[11:17] <JonWickedFire> Are you stepping down as CEO and away from gox too?
[11:17] <JonWickedFire> (If you can't legally disclose, then just say so)
[11:20] <MagicalTux> can't disclose that yety
[11:20] <MagicalTux> yet
[11:20] <JonWickedFire> K np.
[11:22] <JonWickedFire> The reason I'm asking is because after yesterday's events of you removing yourself from the foundation and deleting the Twitter account/posts and all.. right away speculation within the bitcoin arena went into hyper chaotic mode, and the word on the street was that you were closing up shop and running away with all of their monies and bitcoin...
[11:22] <JonWickedFire> How does that make you feel to hear or see people you bailed out yourself and stood up for over the years, turn on you like that?
[11:22] <MagicalTux> not good
[11:24] <JonWickedFire> Mark, I know you're not one for expressing yourself, but here's your chance at it, because you really have stepped up before, and done things NO ONE else ever had.. or probably will again.. and it seems like all of it has been quickly forgotten and instead you're being labeled as the Madoff of bitcoin.
[11:25] <JonWickedFire> We're having this chat, and you're still in Japan at your apt/office and not in a cave somewhere, right?
[11:34] <JonWickedFire> Look Mark, you took mtgox and ran with it, built on it, stuck with it and took it to a level no one ever thought possible. When other exchanges were crippled, you stepped in and bailed them out or absorbed them to save the bitcoin market in general. In exchange it brought you a massive surge of customers and press that made you look like the hero of the day and then some.
[11:34] <JonWickedFire> But what most people forget too was that you weren't set up to handle this from the start..
[11:35] <MagicalTux> [01:25:02] <JonWickedFire> We're having this chat, and you're still in Japan at your apt/office and not in a cave somewhere, right? <- at home, with my cat being a pain sleeping on the keyboard
[11:35] <JonWickedFire> Yeah, doesn't sound like someone on the run with bags of money...
[11:37] <JonWickedFire> What's the plan now for you and mtgox?
[11:37] <MagicalTux> can't comment on that yet
[11:37] <JonWickedFire> Alright.
[11:37] <MagicalTux> (mostly because doing so could compromise our current efforts)
[11:38] <MagicalTux> imgur: the simple image sharer <- my cat pushing my keyboard, me pushing the keyboard back on the desk
[11:38] <JonWickedFire> So you guys are still actively trying to save it though?
[11:38] <MagicalTux> We haven't given up
[11:40] <JonWickedFire> You could have given up and walked away a bunch of times previously, but you always stuck it out... even though others have closed up and walked away, why have you continued to fight and work at it and not give up?
[11:41] <MagicalTux> "Giving up" is not part of how I usually do things
[11:42] <JonWickedFire> Do you want to tell your side of this a bit more?
[11:43] <JonWickedFire> Like what you've sacrificed or given up, personally? I have to imagine it's taken quite a toll on you.
[11:43] <MagicalTux> well, first I would guess is my health
[11:43] <JonWickedFire> What do you mean?
[11:44] <MagicalTux> took on more than 30kg since handling MtGox
[11:44] <MagicalTux> (compensating for stress by eating)
[11:47] <JonWickedFire> I'm guessing stress from lack of sleep too, like now..
[11:48] <MagicalTux> heh
[11:48] <MagicalTux> and drinking liters of coca cola
[11:48] <MagicalTux> how american
[11:48] <MagicalTux> (almost american, actually, since some people see coca cola as being non-american)
[11:52] <JonWickedFire> lol
[11:54] <MagicalTux> anyway
[11:54] <MagicalTux> I should try to get some sleep
[11:55] <MagicalTux> already 2am
[11:55] <MagicalTux> waking up in 4 hours
[11:55] <JonWickedFire> Err
[11:55] <JonWickedFire> One more thing..
[11:55] <MagicalTux> and starting to be tired of pushing my keyboard so it stays on the desk
[11:56] <JonWickedFire> Do you still believe in the viability of an unregulated digital currency like bitcoin tho?
[11:57] <MagicalTux> difficult
[11:57] <MagicalTux> tbqh the pressure we got from banks and governments makes things very hard
[11:58] <JonWickedFire> Do you think if it were regulated it would make it easier to work things out?
[11:58] <MagicalTux> partially
[11:58] <JonWickedFire> How so?
[11:59] <MagicalTux> well, first avoid being blocked by banks and governments around the world
[11:59] <MagicalTux> if regulated, it means that as long as you follow the regulations you're fine
[12:00] <JonWickedFire> The biggest question people really have asked though is are you personally vested in mtgox with your own btc?
[12:01] <JonWickedFire> And whether or not you, like everyone else, have taken a personal hit and are in the same boat as they are in terms of taking a loss/hit from the recent events?
[12:01] <MagicalTux> [02:00:59] <JonWickedFire> And whether or not you, like everyone else, have taken a personal hit and are in the same boat as they are in terms of taking a loss/hit from the recent events? <- any BTC I own personally were on MtGox
[12:02] <JonWickedFire> How much did you lose yourself?
[12:04] <MagicalTux> Well, technically speaking it's not "lost" just yet, just temporarily unavailable
[12:05] == MagicalTux [~MagicalTu@mtgox/staff/MagicalTux]
[12:05] == realname : Mark Karpeles
[12:05] == channels : CHANNELNAME
[12:05] == server : calvino.freenode.net [Milan, IT]
[12:05] == account : magicaltux
[12:05] == End of WHOIS
[12:05] <JonWickedFire> Well, how much is unavail for you?
[12:06] <MagicalTux> I'm not even sure
[12:06] <JonWickedFire> Guys on Reddit and WickedFire are running around posting screenshots of horror stories about how much bitcoin they have lost from this..
[12:06] <MagicalTux> didn't check my wallet before pushing the site offline
[12:07] <MagicalTux> anyway
[12:07] <MagicalTux> maybe I should go to sleep now
[12:07] <JonWickedFire> Anything else you'd like to say to everyone before all the pissed off people start going nuts, even more...?
[12:09] <MagicalTux> not really
[12:09] <MagicalTux> maybe just a link? something like that: Why do we fall? - 9GAG
[12:09] <MagicalTux> well, we'll see how this one goes anyway
[12:16] <JonWickedFire> Well, I'd like to chat more, but I know you're pushing to go to sleep.
[12:17] <JonWickedFire> And so long as you are saying you're not disappearing from this.. that's okay.
[12:17] <JonWickedFire> I still think you should say something more to all these people or at least reveal how much you've taken a hit for, personally..
[12:17] <JonWickedFire> It would show them that you are still on their side.
[12:19] <JonWickedFire> By the way, that whole removal from the foundation, did you decide to leave that before or after the chats with them to help save gox versus let it fail?

[frito]

I just cannot compute 

[RandyMagnum]

[10:58] <JonWickedFire> Is that Crisis Strategy Draft even legit?
[11:04] <MagicalTux> more or less

So...coins are not accessible?  Use your words Mark.

[pmorici]

Looks like original is here...

http://www.wickedfire.com/shooting-shit/179038-my-conversation-mark-karpeles-mtgox-2.html#post2164682

[exocytosis]

WTF?

[broolstoryco]

as for the picture of his cat that he posted, https://i.imgur.com/GqZr3N5.jpg

the badge on the table appearsto be from an office at the cerulean tower, which we suspected to be a virtual office. Is there any reason a virtual office would come with an access card? at least the office change might be legit...

[LightRider]

Anybody know what keyboard that is? Looks interesting.

[g27wr]

He's messy.

[DobZombie]

[10:58] <JonWickedFire> Is that Crisis Strategy Draft even legit?
[11:04] <MagicalTux> more or less

So...coins are not accessible?  Use your words Mark.

This sounds EXACTLY like weexchange/bitfunder

[mayne]

seems like he is just trying to skirt the issues


do the honorable thing and fall on a sword

[waldox]

 
  JonWickedFire> Are you doing okay?
  [10:52] <MagicalTux> more or less
  [10:52] <MagicalTux> it's 1am and tomorrow morning first time I have a lawyer appointment
  [10:52] <MagicalTux> things couldn't be better

Mark sounds delusional....

[st4nl3y]

seems like he is just trying to skirt the issues


do the honorable thing and fall on a sword

+1

[franky1]

put it this way, if karpeles had the funds, he would be preparing to have a meeting with a coder to fix the site to allow transactions..

but instead he is having a meeting with a lawyer. this means he is checking his legal standing on how to report his insolvancy. you dont need a lawyer to code the malleability fix!!!

[bananas]

Seriously, i think he is mentally ill, psychotic. His behaviour in all that is happening is complete non sense, just crazy. It is even hard to label him incompetent, criminal or a scammer, he just seems insane.

[exocytosis]

Seriously, i think he is mentally ill, psychotic. His behaviour in all that is happening is complete non sense, just crazy. It is even hard to label him incompetent, criminal or a scammer, he just seems insane.

I think you're right. At least he seems to be in denial. If that chat log is real, that is. He seems oblivious to all the pain and suffering he's causing with his gross incompetence and his pathological lying.

I mean: His # 1 worry at the moment is the fact that he's gained a lot of weight recently? That's the message he wanted to convey to the world? He has time to chat merrily about his cat and his own weight problems, while completely ignoring all the angry customers whose lives he has destroyed, many of whom are probably sending him death threats right now? He seems like some kind of autist, at the very least.

[broolstoryco]

Seriously, i think he is mentally ill, psychotic. His behaviour in all that is happening is complete non sense, just crazy. It is even hard to label him incompetent, criminal or a scammer, he just seems insane.

I think you're right. At least he seems to be in denial. If that chat log is real, that is. He seems oblivious to all the pain and suffering he's causing with his gross incompetence and his pathological lying.

I mean: His # 1 worry at the moment is the fact that he's gained a lot of weight recently? That's the message he wanted to convey to the world? He has time to chat merrily about his cat and his own weight problems, while completely ignoring all the angry customers whose lives he has destroyed, many of whom are probably sending him death threats right now? He seems like some kind of autist, at the very least.

Indeed. Cant imagine the number of threats he is currently getting.

[Entropy-uc]

He acknowledges that the strategy document is legitimate.  That means he has been operating MtGox with a deficit of bitcoins for years, and that deficit grew to 750000 BTC, worth nearly $1 Billion late last year.  Of course he's under a little mental distress.

I'm sure it will get much worse after he meets his lawyer and learns he will likely spend significant time in a Japanese prison.  The good news is he can finally lose some weight while he's there!

[NandChipProvider]

Are everybody just gone INSANE??

I hope you all know he is talking about his own wallet (unavailable), not the one from the company.
Mark just verified that MtGOX lost 700k BTC. Why is price shooting up?

Don't friggen tell me that's actually a good news  

[Entropy-uc]

Are everybody just gone INSANE??

I hope you all know he is talking about his own wallet (unavailable), not the one from the company.
Mark just verified that MtGOX lost 700k BTC. Why is price shooting up?

Don't friggen tell me that's actually a good news  

It is good news.  700k imaginary bitcoins have disappeared.  Many many people have been trading with this imaginary coins, depressing the price.  Now that the fraud is revealed, real supply and demand can take hold again.

Plus, an inept, and potentially criminal service has been removed from Bitcoin.  From here we can move forward with more competent operators.  And the lessons learned here will force people to be more diligent about the integrity of the services they use.

[NandChipProvider]

I like your post, really! It's so lyrical (not in a sarcastic way), but ppl lost their money on GOX and they just continue buying?
I would try to recover my money first and wait for some really positiv siginals. Maybe that's just me :/ arrrgh