Silk Road creator sentenced to life in prison

[Locke]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Pretty sure you still can. There's a reddit subforum for darknet markets I believe.

Yeah, druggies can be remarkably innovative individuals sometimes but I cant imagine handing out my address and credit card information to some tweaked out meth head.

Also I dont use drugs. I prefer my vices to be a little tamer, I'll stick with my scotch and cigars thank you very much.

[lazypucker]

I will be waiting for a movie adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio...

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, druggies can be remarkably innovative individuals sometimes but I cant imagine handing out my address and credit card information to some tweaked out meth head.

Well you wouldn't be dealing with tweakers on a site like Silk Road, which was part of the big appeal as opposed to buying off the street. The quantity of product being moved on that site necessitated that vendors be pretty high up the ladder and/or actually producing it themselves. Secondly, there's no exchange of CC info since all of the transactions are done in cryptocurrency.

Also I dont use drugs. I prefer my vices to be a little tamer, I'll stick with my scotch and cigars thank you very much.

Well that's just the limits of your imagination. For a lot of people, black market sites are as much about function as they are about vice. Go to any of those sites as finals or LSAT deadlines near and you'll see people jonesing for adderall and Xanax. People from countries that don't allow or produce ED pills were all over it, too. Hell, they sold books that were banned or censored in various countries. The guy fully walked the libertarian talk. I don't fancy myself a libertarian but you can certainly understand what he was doing from that ideological perspective.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, druggies can be remarkably innovative individuals sometimes.

If you want to get a crash course in engineering, observe a stoner that has weed but no way to smoke it. Seriously, if they could apply that prowess towards something productive, I'm sure cold fusion and flying cars would be a thing by now.

Although it's important that you observe a stoner with some level of decency and concern for their health, otherwise you will just see someone smoke weed out of a pop can...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Well you wouldn't be dealing with tweakers on a site like Silk Road, which was part of the big appeal as opposed to buying off the street. The quantity of product being moved on that site necessitated that vendors be pretty high up the ladder and/or actually producing it themselves. Secondly, there's no exchange of CC info since all of the transactions are done in cryptocurrency.

Well that's just the limits of your imagination. For a lot of people, black market sites are as much about function as they are about vice. Go to any of those sites as finals or LSAT deadlines near and you'll see people jonesing for adderall and Xanax. People from countries that don't allow or produce ED pills were all over it, too. Hell, they sold books that were banned or censored in various countries. The guy fully walked the libertarian talk. I don't fancy myself a libertarian but you can certainly understand what he was doing from that ideological perspective.

That helps me not at all as I dont have any of that. I run a business for the express purpose of not having to work in a mine in order to purchase goods and services.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Locke

That helps me not at all as I dont have any of that. I run a business for the express purpose of not having to work in a mine in order to purchase goods and services.

Like any other currency, there are exchanges were you can purchase bitcoins. Obviously for someone who has no interest in drugs, going through the hoops necessary to acquire bitcoins would seem unappealing. My only point was that there are safeguards in place which prevent giving your CC info to career criminals.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by jar_e

I read this in April and it was a fascinating read. Also from wired...

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/silk-road-1/

I wasted 2 hours at work reading both parts 1 & 2 and now my day is almost done, so thanks for that.

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I wasted 2 hours at work reading both parts 1 & 2 and now my day is almost done, so thanks for that.

ditto

[aaronck]

Originally Posted by handgroen

ditto

Ha, yup. me too! Haven't enjoyed a true crime story like this since the "Pain and Gain" stories from Miami a few years back.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by jar_e

I read this in April and it was a fascinating read. Also from wired...

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/silk-road-1/

Thanks for that, great read.

OT, but does anyone know of some other online stories similar to the one above? I don't mean similar in terms of the content, just similar in length, detail and how it was written. I really enjoy reading these long in depth stories that are written like books, really helps the day fly by at work! I've read a few about crime, a few about history and another about Dubai and am looking for some more. If anyone knows of any good ones (I'm willing to read about basically any subject matter) please throw me a link.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Thanks for that, great read.

OT, but does anyone know of some other online stories similar to the one above? I don't mean similar in terms of the content, just similar in length, detail and how it was written. I really enjoy reading these long in depth stories that are written like books, really helps the day fly by at work! I've read a few about crime, a few about history and another about Dubai and am looking for some more. If anyone knows of any good ones (I'm willing to read about basically any subject matter) please throw me a link.

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" stuff is usually pretty good.

[FlamesAddiction]

Yeah, I was pretty enthralled by it. Very interesting content, but also really well written. I tried to skip a few paragraphs, but then I would have to go back anyway because there were really no wasted words. It's long, but worth it if you have the time. It should be a good book when it comes out.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by Shaggin Wagon

The guy tried to get 6 people killed to protect his black market of illegal items. That is what the quote is saying. Turns out there were not really people with the knowledge to turn him in but he was willing to kill them anyway. I think that is why the sentencing is so long.

Allegedly. Big difference. Especially if there was possible entrapment, which there could be.

Not saying he didn't want to or even try to. But he wasn't charged for it and wasn't convicted of it. So to say he tried to kill 6 people is incorrect at least legally if not completely. We don't know with certainty if he did or not.

[aaronck]

Here's the link to the Pain and Gain story...very entertaining

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/pain-and-gain-6396870

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Allegedly. Big difference. Especially if there was possible entrapment, which there could be.

Not saying he didn't want to or even try to. But he wasn't charged for it and wasn't convicted of it. So to say he tried to kill 6 people is incorrect at least legally if not completely. We don't know with certainty if he did or not.

Not charged and convicted yet, but the murder-for-hire charges are still pending in the state of Maryland. It seems like a moot point now that he is in prison for the rest of his life (barring a successful appeal), but I think they were waiting to see how the sentencing would go before seeing if it was worth it to charge him. At any rate, he still may be charged.


Also, the murder-for-hire ploys were included in the encompassing Continuing Criminal Enterprise (aka "kingpin") charges that he was convicted of.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Not charged and convicted yet, but the murder-for-hire charges are still pending in the state of Maryland. It seems like a moot point now that he is in prison for the rest of his life (barring a successful appeal), but I think they were waiting to see how the sentencing would go before seeing if it was worth it to charge him. At any rate, he still may be charged.


Also, the murder-for-hire ploys were included in the encompassing Continuing Criminal Enterprise (aka "kingpin") charges that he was convicted of.

As far as I could understand in reading it, there was only one murder for hire of the six that was pending. I could be wrong. Either way, it's still a large gap now. It's all just alleged.

Edit: Yeah, the initial quote said one pending. Hence no charges in 5/6. They can't be pending if there are no criminal charges laid.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by aaronck

Here's the link to the Pain and Gain story...very entertaining

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/pain-and-gain-6396870

Great read, exactly the type of thing I was looking for. Thanks!

[firebug]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Thanks for that, great read.

OT, but does anyone know of some other online stories similar to the one above? I don't mean similar in terms of the content, just similar in length, detail and how it was written. I really enjoy reading these long in depth stories that are written like books, really helps the day fly by at work! I've read a few about crime, a few about history and another about Dubai and am looking for some more. If anyone knows of any good ones (I'm willing to read about basically any subject matter) please throw me a link.

http://thefeature.net/

A curated collection of medium-length interesting online articles. Keeps me from going insane during slow periods at work. It used to be called 'Give me Something to Read'.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by firebug

http://thefeature.net/

A curated collection of medium-length interesting online articles. Keeps me from going insane during slow periods at work. It used to be called 'Give me Something to Read'.

Much obliged.