4 ms·

just read through that, it's quite unfortunate really. Seems like another case of aaron schwartz where the justice system wanted to send a message.

by drwl 7y ago

justforyou 7y ago
Doesn't make sense that you've been downvoted.
tptacek 7y ago
It's Aaron Swartz, not Schwartz. If you're going to wave a bloody shirt, spell the name on it correctly. And I don't think he or his family would appreciate the comparison you're making. Swartz was ultimately prosecuted for actions which, right or wrong, were done selflessly, without remuneration, and in pursuit of a principle. Ulbricht made a fortune facilitating drug sales.
- fxprq 7y ago
  Calm your tits, Jew.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- z3c0 7y ago
  To add, Swartz also didn't attempt any assassinations. While I see some overlap in the way that Ulbricht was made an example of, he ultimately shot himself in the foot by resorting to such nefarious means to protect himself.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - lacampbell 7y ago
    The wikipedia article for Ross Ulbricht says this: On the last day of trial, Serrin Turner, the lead prosecutor, addressed the jury and stated that none of the six contracted murders-for-hire allegations occurred.[27] One charge of procuring murder was originally filed in October 2013 in a separate pending indictment in Maryland (which was later dismissed with prejudice in its entirety in July 2018);[citation needed] the other five allegations were never filed.[37] Obviously wikipedia is not a valid source, etc etc. But I've heard the assassination thing before and I'm wondering what information we have about the alleged assassination attempts.
    - rolltiide 7y ago
      It's nice to see you are thinking about it. Yes the assassinations are not as simple as its made out to be and were used primarily for character assassination in Ross' trial and sentencing. The Maryland case was dismissed because it was a super shaky case, and would have revealed so much incompetence that it would mess this railroading up. It was later dismissed in a way that let the government retain some integrity "with prejudice [because he was already convicted]". With regard to 1 or 2 of those 6 murders for hire, corrupt DEA and Secret Service agents were stealing and extorting from Ross, including staging a fake assassination. They were tried and convicted. > No mention of Carl Mark Force IV made it into Ulbricht's trial. Neither did any mention of Shaun Bridges, the former Secret Service agent charged alongside him. The spree of crimes they committed as Silk Road investigators was under the seal of grand jury secrecy at the time. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8q845p/dea-agent-who-faked-a-murder-and-took-bitcoins-from-silk-road-explains-himself https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8q845p/dea-agent-who-fake... It doesn't help Ross' character, as this fake one had images and a person that played along for a lighter sentence/immunity and then Ross had additional fake assassinations carried out. It still hurts the government having a unilateral perception of him, because nobody was EVER trying to get people murdered in this operation until the corrupt investigators created fictional drama so that they could pocket some bitcoins. So far it hasn't mattered for the government, as Ross' appeals have all failed. Really illuminates the key areas the government can nab you: not indict you for a worse action but tell everyone about the allegations, withhold key evidence, use those allegations to deny bail, shift jury perception, and rationalize higher sentencing.
  - 55555 7y ago
    The "assassination attempts" are used to slander his character. It certainly appears that he didn't actually believe anyone was going to be hurt but rather correctly believed he was paying an extortion fee to someone larping as a thug.
- aianus 7y ago
  > Ulbricht made a fortune facilitating drug sales. Ulbricht lived in a tiny apartment with roommates in SF and spent his days working from the public library. It really doesn't appear like he was in it for the selfish material rewards.
  - tptacek 7y ago
    The DOJ seized tens of millions of dollars from him. I don't care where he lived.
    - johndevor 7y ago
      Maybe he would have given it to charity? It's hard to tell what his motivations are from the outside.
      - tptacek 7y ago
        We should, I suppose, give every drug kingpin the benefit of this doubt.
        rolltiide 7y ago
        Yes, you should. Everyone at the top is usually far isolated from what generates the revenues, and they have their own causes and ideals for wealth just like anyone else. Vilifying money itself along side actual sanctions on it is a relatively new legal concept for the Federal government. So yes this has pervaded the culture of the Federal government's subjects, but is only a happy coincidence for the government to maintain support.
  - idlewords 7y ago
    Rents are high in SF!

just read through that, it's quite unfortunate really. Seems like another case of aaron schwartz where the justice system wanted to send a message.

by drwl 7y ago

just read through that, it's quite unfortunate really. Seems like another case of aaron schwartz where the justice system wanted to send a message.

justforyou 7y ago

Doesn't make sense that you've been downvoted.

tptacek 7y ago

It's Aaron Swartz, not Schwartz. If you're going to wave a bloody shirt, spell the name on it correctly. And I don't think he or his family would appreciate the comparison you're making. Swartz was ultimately prosecuted for actions which, right or wrong, were done selflessly, without remuneration, and in pursuit of a principle. Ulbricht made a fortune facilitating drug sales.

fxprq 7y ago
Calm your tits, Jew.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
z3c0 7y ago
To add, Swartz also didn't attempt any assassinations. While I see some overlap in the way that Ulbricht was made an example of, he ultimately shot himself in the foot by resorting to such nefarious means to protect himself.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- lacampbell 7y ago
  The wikipedia article for Ross Ulbricht says this: On the last day of trial, Serrin Turner, the lead prosecutor, addressed the jury and stated that none of the six contracted murders-for-hire allegations occurred.[27] One charge of procuring murder was originally filed in October 2013 in a separate pending indictment in Maryland (which was later dismissed with prejudice in its entirety in July 2018);[citation needed] the other five allegations were never filed.[37] Obviously wikipedia is not a valid source, etc etc. But I've heard the assassination thing before and I'm wondering what information we have about the alleged assassination attempts.
  - rolltiide 7y ago
    It's nice to see you are thinking about it. Yes the assassinations are not as simple as its made out to be and were used primarily for character assassination in Ross' trial and sentencing. The Maryland case was dismissed because it was a super shaky case, and would have revealed so much incompetence that it would mess this railroading up. It was later dismissed in a way that let the government retain some integrity "with prejudice [because he was already convicted]". With regard to 1 or 2 of those 6 murders for hire, corrupt DEA and Secret Service agents were stealing and extorting from Ross, including staging a fake assassination. They were tried and convicted. > No mention of Carl Mark Force IV made it into Ulbricht's trial. Neither did any mention of Shaun Bridges, the former Secret Service agent charged alongside him. The spree of crimes they committed as Silk Road investigators was under the seal of grand jury secrecy at the time. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8q845p/dea-agent-who-faked-a-murder-and-took-bitcoins-from-silk-road-explains-himself https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8q845p/dea-agent-who-fake... It doesn't help Ross' character, as this fake one had images and a person that played along for a lighter sentence/immunity and then Ross had additional fake assassinations carried out. It still hurts the government having a unilateral perception of him, because nobody was EVER trying to get people murdered in this operation until the corrupt investigators created fictional drama so that they could pocket some bitcoins. So far it hasn't mattered for the government, as Ross' appeals have all failed. Really illuminates the key areas the government can nab you: not indict you for a worse action but tell everyone about the allegations, withhold key evidence, use those allegations to deny bail, shift jury perception, and rationalize higher sentencing.
- 55555 7y ago
  The "assassination attempts" are used to slander his character. It certainly appears that he didn't actually believe anyone was going to be hurt but rather correctly believed he was paying an extortion fee to someone larping as a thug.
aianus 7y ago
> Ulbricht made a fortune facilitating drug sales. Ulbricht lived in a tiny apartment with roommates in SF and spent his days working from the public library. It really doesn't appear like he was in it for the selfish material rewards.
- tptacek 7y ago
  The DOJ seized tens of millions of dollars from him. I don't care where he lived.
  - johndevor 7y ago
    Maybe he would have given it to charity? It's hard to tell what his motivations are from the outside.
    - tptacek 7y ago
      We should, I suppose, give every drug kingpin the benefit of this doubt.
      - rolltiide 7y ago
        Yes, you should. Everyone at the top is usually far isolated from what generates the revenues, and they have their own causes and ideals for wealth just like anyone else. Vilifying money itself along side actual sanctions on it is a relatively new legal concept for the Federal government. So yes this has pervaded the culture of the Federal government's subjects, but is only a happy coincidence for the government to maintain support.
- idlewords 7y ago
  Rents are high in SF!