BurtW arrested (update: charges dropped!)

[matt4054]

The information on burtw.com has been updated:

Thanks for visiting my site.  I am married to the person known as BurtW in the Bitcoin world.  I created this website to collect donations for BurtW's legal defense. The US Govt wants to send Burt to federal prison for five years.

​My world changed on October 14, 2014 when twenty plus cars surrounded my home and, according to my neighbors, 35 federal agents raided my house. The federal agents refused to tell me why they had arrested Burt, what they were searching for,  or why they were tearing up our home.  

No one would give me any information.  By the end of the week, Burt had spent one night in Denver County Jail and two nights in the special housing unit at the federal detention center.

My family is devastated by this turn of events.  Any help is appreciated.​

35 federal agents, 5 years OMG

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[moriartybitcoin]

I wouldn't be surprised if the government shut down LocalBitcoins soon.  They support the big compliant exchanges like CoinBase, but we all know that LocalBitcoins isn't on the list of government's favorite exchanges ..

[odolvlobo]

I wouldn't be surprised if the government shut down LocalBitcoins soon.  They support the big compliant exchanges like CoinBase, but we all know that LocalBitcoins isn't on the list of government's favorite exchanges ..

"the government"? Do you mean the government of Finland?

[fancy_pants]

From what I remember (it may have changed) the license if FREE, and you have up to 30 days to file for the license AFTER you have started the business.

Fincen website says 180 days.

[DannyHamilton]

- snip -
would you kindly provide a link to the info you indicated if you could.

http://www.fincen.gov/financial_institutions/msb/msb.registration.html

each money services business (MSB) must register with the Department of the Treasury. A person that is an MSB solely because that person serves as an agent of another MSB is not required to register.

Registration of an MSB is the responsibility of the owner or controlling person of the MSB and must be filed by the registration deadline. The form, Registration of Money Services Business, FinCEN Form 107, must be completed and signed by the owner or controlling person and filed within 180 days after the date on which the MSB is established

However, from what I can tell, there isn't a good way to register as an individual.  It appears that you need to register as a company.  The registration page requires the following information:

[Tabata11]

So I shouldn't trade bitcoins on LBC even if it is under $10,000? :/

[DannyHamilton]

So I shouldn't trade bitcoins on LBC even if it is under $10,000? :/

That depends on the jurisdiction where you live, and the specific conditions of the exchange.

If you are uncertain, then you should contact a lawyer familiar with the laws in your area.

[DannyHamilton]

If you are doing business as an individual simply put your name where it says org/biz.

And what do I put where it says: EIN?

[xxxgoodgirls]

This is so sick.

[QuestionAuthority]

If you are doing business as an individual simply put your name where it says org/biz.

And what do I put where it says: EIN?

Your social security number.

Can anyone link to the article written on this story? A raid involving 35 agents would have media coverage and I can't find it.

[jbreher]

All of that is so insane I'm inclined to believe someone at fed thought someone at burt's was violent -- extremely-AR15 violent -- no one rolls 35 deep for show. 

I'm inclined to believe that you've completely missed the last quarter century of our benevolent federal overlords' ever-escalating 'kinder, gentler machine gun plan' (in the words of Neil Young).

If Burt flew off the handle and scared a fed

If you knew Burt, you'd know how absurd your suggestion is.

I doubt he goes free, and I doubt he gets 5 years, ...

Excellent legal analysis - thanks for that. So tell me ... what exactly are the charges? Exactly what has he been accused of? What are the elements of each charge? What is the evidence against him? Or or you just making stuff up?

[jbreher]

Can anyone link to the article written on this story? A raid involving 35 agents would have media coverage and I can't find it.

Yes, one would think that there would be significant media coverage. Nothing. I live in the same metro. Newspaper silence.

Yet I find the 35 agents figure completely plausible.

Oddly, a search on the docket number listed on the doc on scribed turns up nothing. Of course, IANAL - I have no idea how public such records usually are. We know the court and the Judge, but nothing much more.

[QuestionAuthority]

Can anyone link to the article written on this story? A raid involving 35 agents would have media coverage and I can't find it.

Yes, one would think that there would be significant media coverage. Nothing. I live in the same metro. Newspaper silence.

Yet I find the 35 agents figure completely plausible.

Well I guess it's possible that the hundreds of people that would have witnessed the vehicles for 35 Feds cordon off a city block while a house was searched for hours just ignored it completely. I also believe it's entirely possible for donkeys to fly.

[QuestionAuthority]

Thanks for the link but could you find a source from a mainstream news outlet? This is an almost word-for-word rehash of the same single statement I've read before. These bitcoin news writers aren't real reliable sources as far as I'm concerned. They all just seem to parrot each other and restate Reddit stories. 

[Gleb Gamow]

If you are doing business as an individual simply put your name where it says org/biz.

And what do I put where it says: EIN?

you could put your SS#, individuals who are operating as a business are self-employed, the IRS gives you the opportunity to chose to have an EIN or use your SS# if you choose to remain a sole proprietorship anything higher than that, or should you decide to higher folk you would need the EIN

I doubt he goes free, and I doubt he gets 5 years, ...

Excellent legal analysis - thanks for that. So tell me ... what exactly are the charges? Exactly what has he been accused of? What are the elements of each charge? What is the evidence against him? Or or you just making stuff up?

what exactly are the charges?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

Exactly what has he been accused of?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

What are the elements of each charge?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

What is the evidence against him?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

Or or you just making stuff up?  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=934268.msg10243390#msg10243390

Can anyone link to the article written on this story? A raid involving 35 agents would have media coverage and I can't find it.

Yes, one would think that there would be significant media coverage. Nothing. I live in the same metro. Newspaper silence.

Yet I find the 35 agents figure completely plausible.

Oddly, a search on the docket number listed on the doc on scribed turns up nothing. Of course, IANAL - I have no idea how public such records usually are. We know the court and the Judge, but nothing much more.

here's what I just found
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2015/01/26/colorado-man-facing-5-years-jail-for-buying-and-selling-bitcoin-without-a-license/

Thanks for the link but could you find a source from a mainstream news outlet? This is an almost word-for-word rehash of the same single statement I've read before. These bitcoin news writers aren't real reliable sources as far as I'm concerned. They all just seem to parrot each other and restate Reddit stories.  

Excellent reporting! At the get-go, the reporter got Bruce Wagner and Burt Wagner mixed up. Hell, they might as well as inserted a pic of Robert Wagner for good measure.



Better yet, insert Lindsay Wagner as The Bitcoin Woman.

[Gleb Gamow]

Image credit: Burton Wagner

About Duncan Riley

Duncan Riley is a senior writer at SiliconANGLE covering Startups, Bitcoin, and the Internet of Things. Duncan is a co-founder of VC funded media company B5Media and founder of news site The Inquisitr, and was a senior writer at TechCrunch in its earlier days. Tips? Press releases? Intersting startup? email: duncan@nichenet.com.au or contact Duncan on Twitter @duncanriley

Look where this fucker gleaned the image from and he still couldn't get the info correct: https://plus.google.com/113407095644459689865/about

[jbreher]

I doubt he goes free, and I doubt he gets 5 years, ...

Excellent legal analysis - thanks for that. So tell me ... what exactly are the charges? Exactly what has he been accused of? What are the elements of each charge? What is the evidence against him? Or or you just making stuff up?

what exactly are the charges?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

Exactly what has he been accused of?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

What are the elements of each charge?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

What is the evidence against him?  ... http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

Or or you just making stuff up?  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=934268.msg10243390#msg10243390

Perhaps you missed upthread where I specifically mentioned the indictment. I note that it quite clearly says nothing about the supposed nature of the illegal activity that the accused is alleged to know that the funds were engaged in.

Unless, of course, you can make something up. How do you get from the info in the indictment to your 'analysis' of how much time you think he'll serve?

Can anyone link to the article written on this story? A raid involving 35 agents would have media coverage and I can't find it.

Yes, one would think that there would be significant media coverage. Nothing. I live in the same metro. Newspaper silence.

Yet I find the 35 agents figure completely plausible.

Oddly, a search on the docket number listed on the doc on scribed turns up nothing. Of course, IANAL - I have no idea how public such records usually are. We know the court and the Judge, but nothing much more.

here's what I just found
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2015/01/26/colorado-man-facing-5-years-jail-for-buying-and-selling-bitcoin-without-a-license/

Yes, an article that not only discusses nothing about the circumstances of the actual arrest, search and seizure, but also so poorly-researched that it confused Burt Wagner with Bruce Wagner.

[Gleb Gamow]

Gleb Gamow I'm not seeing any "bruce" in the article, where do you see "bruce" in the article?

That's because Bruce Wagner is not mentioned in the article, but that is a picture of Bruce Wagner and not Burt Wagner.

Proof: https://twitter.com/brucewagner

Burt Wagner is married to a woman and has children, whereas Bruce Wagner will never procreate children because...



To be clear, the image credit is incorrect.

[jbreher]

Gleb Gamow I'm not seeing any "bruce" in the article, where do you see "bruce" in the article?

Stick around awhile, pay attention, and you may become acquainted with who is who 'round these parts.

[jbreher]

Gleb Gamow I'm not seeing any "bruce" in the article, where do you see "bruce" in the article?

That's because Bruce Wagner is not mentioned in the article, but that is a picture of Bruce Wagner and not Burt Wagner.

Proof: https://twitter.com/brucewagner

I'll expand. From the article:

While Wagner was involved in buying and selling Bitcoins, his online persona doesn’t offer many details; his website Bitcoinme.com is an amateur WordPress setup which he describes as “a collection of simple ideas…not a business nor a non-profit…  just a few ideas.” The site doesn’t offer trading itself, and instead acts as a front for affiliate links to Coinbase Inc. and others.

The above paragraph can be attributed to Bruce Wagner. It cannot be attributed to Burt Wagner (BurtW), as they are two different people.