Silk Road Shut Down, Founder Arrested, $3.6 Million Worth of Bitcoin Seized

New submitter u38cg writes Ross William Ulbricht, known as 'Dread Pirate Roberts,' was arrested in San Francisco yesterday and has been charged with one count each of narcotics trafficking conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy, according to a court filing. Silk Road has been shut down and some $3.6m in Bitcoin (26,000 Btc) seized. The question is — how?" onyxruby submitted a link to the criminal complaint (PDF; coral cache might work better). The court filing indicates that they seized the actual servers and recovered their contents, making numerous references to the private messaging system. Also according to the court filing, the Silk Road was used to sell ~$1.2 billion in illicit goods since being founded in 2011.

Comments

Billion ... with a B

[Wh1t3Rabbit2084]

So this begs the question - Are we winning the war on drugs yet?

Re:Billion ... with a B

[gandhi_2]

War on Drugs? Don't know.

The War on Incorrect Usage of "Begs the Question" however, we are obviously losing.

Re:Billion ... with a B

[c 0xFF]

It means the same thing, for all intensive purposes.

Re:Billion ... with a B

[CaseCrash]

Irregardless, that war's been lost for a while.

Re:Billion ... with a B

[idontgno]

Nonsense, it's lunchtime at the shoreside campground at the dolphin sanctuary.

"Food, for all in tents, and porpoises!"

Re:strange summary FTA

[Anonymous Coward]

They didn't. They used their backdoor.

So how long...

[Em Adespoton]

So how long will it be before the Silk Road is back up and running under the management of the Dread Pirate Roberts? I presume he had a cabin boy prior to being arrested... or was that how he got nabbed?

Ya, Sure.

[fahrbot-bot]

Everyone knows the real Dread Pirate Roberts has been retired +15 years in Patagonia ... But, of course, no one would care about arresting the Dread Pirate Ulbricht.

/redundant

Or perhaps Bill Gates?

[RevWaldo]

Steve Ballmer: It is very strange. I have been in the CEO business so long, now that it's over, I don't know what to do with the rest of my life.

Ross William Ulbricht: Have you ever considered black marketing? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts.

.

Re:Tor compromised

[Anonymous Coward]

NSA procedure is to blame all constitutional violations on Canada, because they automatically say "sorry" when accused of anything.

Re:Tor compromised

[Minwee]

Sorry about that.

Re:HOW??

[noh8rz10]

I believe the "Robo Singers" should be in prison, with restituion for damages caused.

I agree - they suck! like those xmas albums with the barking dogs at different pitches.I want my $9.99 back!

Value of bitcoins

[halcyon1234]

Article: 11:36am: US Government seizes $3.6 million worth of bitcoins

Update, 11:45am: US Government seizes $1.75 million worth of bitcoins

Update, 12:03pm: US Government seizes $8.3 million worth of bitcoins

Update, 12:54pm: US Government seizes $766 thousand worth of bitcoins

Update, 3:27pm: US Government seizes Eight Dollars worth of bitcoins

Update, 5:55pm: US Government seizes $15 million worth of bitcoins

Re:Tor compromised

[lgw]

That's totally different! In capitalism, the government is corrupt because markets exist, but in Soviet Russia the markets exist because government is corrupt.

Re:Tor compromised

[ProzacPatient]

One alternative would be to buy a car wash

Re:HOW??

[nospam007]

It's pure BS.
Since the eighties, everybody knows that Roberts is not one man, but a series of individuals who periodically pass the name and reputation to a chosen successor. Everyone except the successor and the former Roberts is then released at a convenient port, and a new crew is hired. The former Roberts stays aboard as first mate, referring to his successor as "Captain Roberts", and thereby establishing the new Roberts' persona. After the crew is convinced, the former Roberts leaves the ship and retires on his earnings.