5 ms·

CEO of Bitcoin exchange found dead in Singapore

113 points by gs7 13y ago

lucaspiller 13y ago
This (local) article covers it a bit better than the Washington Post: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/boss-virtual-currency-exchange-first-meta-found-dead-cantonment-close- http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/bo... First Meta isn't actually a Bitcoin exchange, but they accept Bitcoin as a payment method.
- sciguy77 13y ago
  Wow that really changes the story. Putting "Bitcoin Exchange" in the title strongly implies that the recent disaster could have been a motive for her death. The fact that BTC is just another payment method for her company means something entirely different. Thank you for sharing this.
  - smtddr 13y ago
    If she accepted payment in bitcoin isn't it possible that she had a bunch of bitcoins in MtGox?
    - yogo 13y ago
      Whatever the case shit keeps getting real in the Bitcoin world lately.
    - nikcub 13y ago
      Someone posted the following on Secret[0]: > I put 1MM of our startup's cash into mt.gox and it's lost 80% of its value. I haven't told my cofounder or vcs yet There was some speculation it might be the same person. [0] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhTAf--CYAEtSNf.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhTAf--CYAEtSNf.jpg
- wehadfun 13y ago
  >First Meta isn't actually a Bitcoin exchange From the website Buy more of your preferred virtual currency at better rates
  - cowsandmilk 13y ago
    They sell Lindens, IMVU credits, FriendsHangout Tokens, etc. Virtual currency != cryptocurrency.
GreaterFool 13y ago
I'm tired of seeing these articles. Yes, suicide is a sad story. No, the company wasn't a Bitcoin exchange. Would it make headlines over and over if the story read "CEO of a company that accepts Bitcoins as a payment method found dead"?
- wehadfun 13y ago
  It looks like an exchange.
mikecane 13y ago
Depression is mentioned. As I'm sure everyone else here will say: There is no shame in getting help for that.
- Consultant32452 13y ago
  Whether or not there is shame in getting help for your depression is cultural. Saying so on a hackernews post doesn't change the reality on the ground for any potential viewer in, for example, Japan or China.
  - mkr-hn 13y ago
    The health care situation in your country matters a lot too. Plenty of people are depressed and too poor to afford treatment.
  - judk 13y ago
    Getting help may mean adjusting location to a less shameful community. With Internet communities and now the beginnings of Internet medical care, this might not even require geographic changes.
    - jevinskie 13y ago
      Are you suggesting people struggling with major depression move to a different country?
      - amputect 13y ago
        It was a little front-loaded, but the phrase "this might not even require geographic changes." at the end of his reply implies that it's less "move to a better country" and more "stop hanging around with people who damage your mental health and/or shame you for seeking help". This is very good advice, and following it in the past probably saved my life.
drstrangevibes 13y ago
who is the odd one out? Autumn Radtke, President Kennedy, Andrew Jackson
kevcampb 13y ago
Can we clarify the exchange on this please, to avoid the linkbait, esp given the just posted newsweek article.
- lini 13y ago
  It's First Meta. https://firstmetaexchange.com/home https://firstmetaexchange.com/home
- 67726e 13y ago
  Satoshi isn't the CEO of any exchange. How would one relate this to the Newsweek article?
  - jader201 13y ago
    I don't follow the multiples of Bitcoin articles that show up on HN daily, but both the Newsweek and this article caught my attention, and I was not clear on the founder vs. CEO separation. Considering both of these are on the first page right now, I think it's easy for some of us to get our wires crossed, and am glad this clarification was made.
    - higherpurpose 13y ago
      "Founder of Bitcoin" is not the same as "founder of Bitcoin exchange". It's like saying the founder of the dollar is the same as the founder of Bank of America.
drstrangevibes 13y ago
answer : Andrew Jackson, he is the only one to survive an assassination attempt for trying to take control of the currency away from the government
tjaerv 13y ago
Rick Falkvinge mentioned this earlier as one of ostensibly two Mt.Gox-linked suicides so far: http://falkvinge.net/2014/02/28/the-gox-crater-crowd-detectives-reveal-billion-dollar-heist-as-inside-job/ http://falkvinge.net/2014/02/28/the-gox-crater-crowd-detecti...
michaelbuddy 13y ago
did she have a small child in a carrier in one photo. that's really sad about this.
JimmaDaRustla 13y ago
No reference to what exchange she worked for. Oh journalism...
- Joeboy 13y ago
  FTA: > Radtke’s company, First Meta, said it was "shocked and saddened by the tragic loss." > First Meta allows users of virtual currencies such as bitcoin to trade and cash out the currencies. It is one of several such exchanges. Maybe journalism isn't the problem here?
  - JimmaDaRustla 13y ago
    Looks like the disfigured website and possible content filtering physically blocked or skewed the site before. I see that now, thanks for the correction. FYI: Counted 37 <iframes>
throwwit 13y ago
eerily just remembered Shane Todd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Shane_Todd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Shane_Todd
brador 13y ago
I just watched a video from her a few days ago on exchanges and fraud...I'll get the link if anyone wants it. Edit - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVxRmvipVY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVxRmvipVY
d0ne 13y ago
I knew Autumn years ago. She was a brilliant individual with a deep connection to those around her. This is a loss of a tremendously capable, and compassionate, human being.
ColdHawaiian 13y ago
This story was also submitted to HN here[1] and here[2]. [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7352175 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7352175 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7351374 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7351374

113 points by gs7 13y ago

This (local) article covers it a bit better than the Washington Post: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/boss-virtual-currency-exchange-first-meta-found-dead-cantonment-close- http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/bo... First Meta isn't actually a Bitcoin exchange, but they accept Bitcoin as a payment method.

sciguy77 13y ago
Wow that really changes the story. Putting "Bitcoin Exchange" in the title strongly implies that the recent disaster could have been a motive for her death. The fact that BTC is just another payment method for her company means something entirely different. Thank you for sharing this.
- smtddr 13y ago
  If she accepted payment in bitcoin isn't it possible that she had a bunch of bitcoins in MtGox?
  - yogo 13y ago
    Whatever the case shit keeps getting real in the Bitcoin world lately.
  - nikcub 13y ago
    Someone posted the following on Secret[0]: > I put 1MM of our startup's cash into mt.gox and it's lost 80% of its value. I haven't told my cofounder or vcs yet There was some speculation it might be the same person. [0] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhTAf--CYAEtSNf.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhTAf--CYAEtSNf.jpg
wehadfun 13y ago
>First Meta isn't actually a Bitcoin exchange From the website Buy more of your preferred virtual currency at better rates
- cowsandmilk 13y ago
  They sell Lindens, IMVU credits, FriendsHangout Tokens, etc. Virtual currency != cryptocurrency.

GreaterFool 13y ago

I'm tired of seeing these articles. Yes, suicide is a sad story. No, the company wasn't a Bitcoin exchange. Would it make headlines over and over if the story read "CEO of a company that accepts Bitcoins as a payment method found dead"?

wehadfun 13y ago
It looks like an exchange.

mikecane 13y ago

Depression is mentioned. As I'm sure everyone else here will say: There is no shame in getting help for that.

Consultant32452 13y ago
Whether or not there is shame in getting help for your depression is cultural. Saying so on a hackernews post doesn't change the reality on the ground for any potential viewer in, for example, Japan or China.
- mkr-hn 13y ago
  The health care situation in your country matters a lot too. Plenty of people are depressed and too poor to afford treatment.
- judk 13y ago
  Getting help may mean adjusting location to a less shameful community. With Internet communities and now the beginnings of Internet medical care, this might not even require geographic changes.
  - jevinskie 13y ago
    Are you suggesting people struggling with major depression move to a different country?
    - amputect 13y ago
      It was a little front-loaded, but the phrase "this might not even require geographic changes." at the end of his reply implies that it's less "move to a better country" and more "stop hanging around with people who damage your mental health and/or shame you for seeking help". This is very good advice, and following it in the past probably saved my life.

drstrangevibes 13y ago

who is the odd one out? Autumn Radtke, President Kennedy, Andrew Jackson

kevcampb 13y ago

Can we clarify the exchange on this please, to avoid the linkbait, esp given the just posted newsweek article.

lini 13y ago
It's First Meta. https://firstmetaexchange.com/home https://firstmetaexchange.com/home
67726e 13y ago
Satoshi isn't the CEO of any exchange. How would one relate this to the Newsweek article?
- jader201 13y ago
  I don't follow the multiples of Bitcoin articles that show up on HN daily, but both the Newsweek and this article caught my attention, and I was not clear on the founder vs. CEO separation. Considering both of these are on the first page right now, I think it's easy for some of us to get our wires crossed, and am glad this clarification was made.
  - higherpurpose 13y ago
    "Founder of Bitcoin" is not the same as "founder of Bitcoin exchange". It's like saying the founder of the dollar is the same as the founder of Bank of America.

drstrangevibes 13y ago

answer : Andrew Jackson, he is the only one to survive an assassination attempt for trying to take control of the currency away from the government

tjaerv 13y ago

Rick Falkvinge mentioned this earlier as one of ostensibly two Mt.Gox-linked suicides so far: http://falkvinge.net/2014/02/28/the-gox-crater-crowd-detectives-reveal-billion-dollar-heist-as-inside-job/ http://falkvinge.net/2014/02/28/the-gox-crater-crowd-detecti...

michaelbuddy 13y ago

did she have a small child in a carrier in one photo. that's really sad about this.

JimmaDaRustla 13y ago

No reference to what exchange she worked for. Oh journalism...

Joeboy 13y ago
FTA: > Radtke’s company, First Meta, said it was "shocked and saddened by the tragic loss." > First Meta allows users of virtual currencies such as bitcoin to trade and cash out the currencies. It is one of several such exchanges. Maybe journalism isn't the problem here?
- JimmaDaRustla 13y ago
  Looks like the disfigured website and possible content filtering physically blocked or skewed the site before. I see that now, thanks for the correction. FYI: Counted 37 <iframes>

throwwit 13y ago

eerily just remembered Shane Todd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Shane_Todd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Shane_Todd

brador 13y ago

I just watched a video from her a few days ago on exchanges and fraud...I'll get the link if anyone wants it. Edit - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVxRmvipVY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVxRmvipVY

d0ne 13y ago

I knew Autumn years ago. She was a brilliant individual with a deep connection to those around her. This is a loss of a tremendously capable, and compassionate, human being.

ColdHawaiian 13y ago

This story was also submitted to HN here[1] and here[2]. [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7352175 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7352175 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7351374 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7351374