BurtW arrested (update: charges dropped!) - page 5.

unamis76

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Quote from: BurtW on December 30, 2015, 08:04:20 AM

GOOD NEWS TODAY!!!

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.13399046

Good news indeed, but this doesn't seem to stop investigations on people selling and buying coins on LocalBitcoins.

Also:

Quote

Nevertheless, we’re talking about a status quo in which law enforcement takes and often keeps “cash and property from people who are never convicted – and in many cases, never charged – with wrongdoing.” And at least for now, this practice will be less common.

Emphasis on the bolded part. I think what happened to you can still easily happen again, unfortunately, but at least it seems there will be less incentive for local police enforcement to do it.

wachtwoord

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Activity: 2324

Merit: 1125

Quote from: BurtW on December 30, 2015, 08:04:20 AM

GOOD NEWS TODAY!!!

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.13399046

Indeed! Hope you're doing well dude!

BurtW

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All paid signature campaigns should be banned.

GOOD NEWS TODAY!!!

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.13399046

QuestionAuthority

legendary

Activity: 2156

Merit: 1393

You lead and I'll watch you walk away.

Quote from: CoinCidental on October 10, 2015, 04:57:30 PM

Quote from: edric on September 27, 2015, 06:07:10 AM

Quote from: theymos on January 23, 2015, 10:17:58 PM

The indictment says:

Quote

involved the transport and transmission of funds that were known to the defendant to have been derived from a criminal offense and were intended to be used to promote and support unlawful activity

I wonder what that's about. I doubt that he was knowingly helping the Silk Road or anything like that...

The thing is... Why do people pay a premium for bitcoin when they can just buy it from an exchange by linking their bank? There are a lot of people that intentionally want to remain anonymous because they are laundering money or made the money illegally. I have asked some borrowers before why they can afford such high interest rates and they have told me the about their customers.

It could be that, or a million other reasons too

Why do people like privacy in general? Nobody likes to be observed and recorded even if they have done nothing wrong...
Why do people not just use their real name or social security number as forum handles to post on the Internet?
Why does tor have any users?
Why do we still use cash for transactions when a card system would be cleaner and more efficient and eliminate the need to carry notes and coins around? (at least in 1st world countries it would work flawlessly with today's technology )

Cash is going the way of the dinosaur quickly anyway. People will either use some kind of anon coin (Bitcoin, darkcoin, whatever) directly bartering, or they won't have any anonymity. The sleeping giants finally figured out that fiat money is taking away their power and they're scared. Cash is the last battlefield and WWIII has already begun.

CoinCidental

legendary

Activity: 1316

Merit: 1000

Si vis pacem, para bellum

Quote from: edric on September 27, 2015, 06:07:10 AM

Quote from: theymos on January 23, 2015, 10:17:58 PM

The indictment says:

Quote

involved the transport and transmission of funds that were known to the defendant to have been derived from a criminal offense and were intended to be used to promote and support unlawful activity

I wonder what that's about. I doubt that he was knowingly helping the Silk Road or anything like that...

The thing is... Why do people pay a premium for bitcoin when they can just buy it from an exchange by linking their bank? There are a lot of people that intentionally want to remain anonymous because they are laundering money or made the money illegally. I have asked some borrowers before why they can afford such high interest rates and they have told me the about their customers.

It could be that, or a million other reasons too

Why do people like privacy in general? Nobody likes to be observed and recorded even if they have done nothing wrong...
Why do people not just use their real name or social security number as forum handles to post on the Internet?
Why does tor have any users?
Why do we still use cash for transactions when a card system would be cleaner and more efficient and eliminate the need to carry notes and coins around? (at least in 1st world countries it would work flawlessly with today's technology )

jbreher

legendary

Activity: 3038

Merit: 1660

lose: unfind ... loose: untight

Quote from: BurtW on October 08, 2015, 09:36:24 AM

If you live in the Denver/Boulder/Longmont/Niwot Colorado area please stop by the Powder Keg Brewing Company on Sunday, October 11, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Homeland Security agents and their confidential informants, cooperating witnesses and local law enforcement minions are welcome to join us.

For them there will be a very large cover charge - everyone else gets in free.

I sent a Facebook invite to (a plausible) SA Arran McWhirter: https://www.facebook.com/events/792407427535424/

spazzdla

legendary

Activity: 1722

Merit: 1000

I still can't believe the pigs can get away with this theft.... such pigs..

Gave you .01 btc.. I know not too much but I figure every little bit helps.. I hate the pigs for reasons like this..

farfiman

legendary

Activity: 1449

Merit: 1001

Quote from: BurtW on October 08, 2015, 09:36:24 AM

.....snip
Homeland Security agents and their confidential informants, cooperating witnesses and local law enforcement minions are welcome to join us.

For them there will be a very large cover charge - everyone else gets in free.

LOL priceless!

everaja

hero member

Activity: 490

Merit: 500

~ScapeGoat~

Quote from: BurtW on October 08, 2015, 09:36:24 AM

If you live in the Denver/Boulder/Longmont/Niwot Colorado area please stop by the Powder Keg Brewing Company on Sunday, October 11, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. for great music, good food, good beer and a short talk by yours truly concerning my case between the two bands. Details here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4wjj00pq83nn33d/Oct%2011%20Fundraiser%20and%20Celebration.pdf?dl=0

For more information about my case:

www.burtw.com
www.jmwagner.com

Homeland Security agents and their confidential informants, cooperating witnesses and local law enforcement minions are welcome to join us.

For them there will be a very large cover charge - everyone else gets in free.

Thanks for the invitation man !!
Wish you a good Life ...

BurtW

legendary

Activity: 2646

Merit: 1137

All paid signature campaigns should be banned.

If you live in the Denver/Boulder/Longmont/Niwot Colorado area please stop by the Powder Keg Brewing Company on Sunday, October 11, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. for great music, good food, good beer and a short talk by yours truly concerning my case between the two bands. Details here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4wjj00pq83nn33d/Oct%2011%20Fundraiser%20and%20Celebration.pdf?dl=0

For more information about my case:

www.burtw.com
www.jmwagner.com

Homeland Security agents and their confidential informants, cooperating witnesses and local law enforcement minions are welcome to join us.

For them there will be a very large cover charge - everyone else gets in free.

TheButterZone

legendary

Activity: 3038

Merit: 1032

RIP Mommy

Quote from: 2112 on September 28, 2015, 09:05:17 PM

Quote from: TheButterZone on September 28, 2015, 01:35:39 PM

There have been a number of instances of beverage containers marked redeemable, taken in semis from one state where there is no redemption program, to a state with one. In other words, no deposit was paid in the state of origin. This could be remedied if the beverage containers were labeled based on the state they were to be sold in, but that's probably too much of a burden (not that CA.gov gives a shit about causing any extra burden whatsoever on businesses). Also, saw this at a recycling center recently: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Documents/1479%5C20131479.pdf

Thanks for the explanation.

So this situation in California is somewhat similar to the historical cross-border empty beer bottles trade between East and West Germany. Enterprising German kids would buy beers in East Germany, drink it, wash the bottles to remove East German labels, affix some torn/fake West German paper labels and redeem the bottle deposit in the West. The arbitrage would not only pay for endless beer supply but also cover the fuel required to drive cross-border twice.

Germans took care of this crime by dismantling The Wall. I don't know what Californians will have to do.

Wait until CA.gov begins genociding and the rest of the U.S. decides it's time to stop appeasing this fucking secessionist state that ratified the US Constitution, put similar clauses in the state constitution, then proceeded to violate them with impunity for over a century.

2112

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Activity: 2128

Merit: 1073

Quote from: TheButterZone on September 28, 2015, 01:35:39 PM

There have been a number of instances of beverage containers marked redeemable, taken in semis from one state where there is no redemption program, to a state with one. In other words, no deposit was paid in the state of origin. This could be remedied if the beverage containers were labeled based on the state they were to be sold in, but that's probably too much of a burden (not that CA.gov gives a shit about causing any extra burden whatsoever on businesses). Also, saw this at a recycling center recently: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Documents/1479%5C20131479.pdf

Thanks for the explanation.

So this situation in California is somewhat similar to the historical cross-border empty beer bottles trade between East and West Germany. Enterprising German kids would buy beers in East Germany, drink it, wash the bottles to remove East German labels, affix some torn/fake West German paper labels and redeem the bottle deposit in the West. The arbitrage would not only pay for endless beer supply but also cover the fuel required to drive cross-border twice.

Germans took care of this crime by dismantling The Wall. I don't know what Californians will have to do.

TheButterZone

legendary

Activity: 3038

Merit: 1032

RIP Mommy

Quote from: 2112 on September 28, 2015, 11:27:01 AM

On the related note about "martial law in the United States": not long ago I returned about 24 empty beer bottles to claim the deposit. I didn't have to sign anything to receive money, but I've noticed that most people (who were returning much larger quantities) had to sign something. Does anyone know what kind of fraud could be perpetrated on the recyclers?

There have been a number of instances of beverage containers marked redeemable, taken in semis from one state where there is no redemption program, to a state with one. In other words, no deposit was paid in the state of origin. This could be remedied if the beverage containers were labeled based on the state they were to be sold in, but that's probably too much of a burden (not that CA.gov gives a shit about causing any extra burden whatsoever on businesses). Also, saw this at a recycling center recently: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Documents/1479%5C20131479.pdf

2112

legendary

Activity: 2128

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I wonder how this current Bitcoin legal situation compares to how the regulation of pawnbrokers and swap-meets evolved in the USA. I can't even find out if the pawnbrokers are regulated federally or locally by the states/counties/municipalities.

I've drawn a blank in my circle of friends with legal education.

I couldn't find anything sensible on http://www.nationalpawnbrokers.org/ nor on http://www.californiapawnbrokers.org/ , the top two results from the search engine.

Edit: I've found something on Wikipedia (copied from Encyclopedia Britannica) under
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_pawnbroking . It seems that explicit licensing under common law started in 1785, so in effect USA imported their laws from UK.

On the related note about "martial law in the United States": not long ago I returned about 24 empty beer bottles to claim the deposit. I didn't have to sign anything to receive money, but I've noticed that most people (who were returning much larger quantities) had to sign something. Does anyone know what kind of fraud could be perpetrated on the recyclers?

BurtW

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All paid signature campaigns should be banned.

Quote from: edric on September 28, 2015, 12:38:29 AM

I get it. I used a bitcoin ATM when I first bought bitcoin. But them I opened an account with a wallet service and linked my bank. Why do so many traders have repeat customers and such huge volume? People make a living off this stuff. You were found innocent but I understand why people have to be concerned about this stuff.

Anyone selling any amount of BTC using localbitcoins in the United State under the current martial law without a license needs to be concerned.

BurtW

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Activity: 2646

Merit: 1137

All paid signature campaigns should be banned.

Quote from: edric on September 28, 2015, 12:31:49 AM

Quote from: theymos on January 23, 2015, 10:17:45 PM

BurtW was recently arrested. The indictment (located by Raize):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

Is there anything we can do to help him? There's a site with a donation address, though I'm a little suspicious that the site might be fake. (The arrest itself is very likely real.)

Why did they keep his money? I have heard that the government charges property separately from the individual. Was the money found guilty or what?

My criminal defense attorney estimated that going to trial was going to cost me between $75,000 and $100,000 in addition to what I had already paid him. Even if I was totally acquitted of all criminal charges there was a chance that they would not drop the civil charges that they had filed against all of the property that they had seized. My civil asset forfeiture attorney, at totally separate law firm from the criminal defense attorney, also wanted an additional $50,000 to go to trial.

So instead of going to trial we agreed that I would pay them an extortion forfeiture, about $40,000 in cash and $40,000 in Bitcoins in order to get them to totally drop the criminal charges against me AND all the civil asset forfeiture cases against the stuff they seized. Since we did not go to trial I never get to see all the "evidence" they supposedly had against me - some of it is still sealed to this day.

edric

hero member

Activity: 546

Merit: 501

Quote from: JeanW on September 28, 2015, 12:07:31 AM

Quote from: edric on September 27, 2015, 06:07:10 AM

Quote from: theymos on January 23, 2015, 10:17:58 PM

The indictment says:

Quote

involved the transport and transmission of funds that were known to the defendant to have been derived from a criminal offense and were intended to be used to promote and support unlawful activity

I wonder what that's about. I doubt that he was knowingly helping the Silk Road or anything like that...

The thing is... Why do people pay a premium for bitcoin when they can just buy it from an exchange by linking their bank? There are a lot of people that intentionally want to remain anonymous because they are laundering money or made the money illegally. I have asked some borrowers before why they can afford such high interest rates and they have told me the about their customers.

This angers me more than anything else I read. Burt never transported or transmitted funds known to be derived from a criminal offense or known to be intended to be used to promote unlawful activity. That was an absolute lie on the part of the feds to obtain a sealed search warrant. The phrase is part of a Patriot Act statute revision that enables the feds to act in secret so the feds use it liberally even when there are no facts to support it. The case was dismissed because (1) Burt did NOT need a business license and (2) he never knowingly obtained funds or sent funds that he knew were earmarked for a criminal activity.

Our family's reputation has been forever damaged because of the lies and slander by AUSA Michele Korver and S.A. Arran McWhirter and we can never sue the bastards. The least you people could do is quit perpetuating the lies.

FYI -- people new to Bitcoin like to trade in person because it gives them a chance to learn more about Bitcoins and the community. It's social. Like going to garage sales to chat.

I get it. I used a bitcoin ATM when I first bought bitcoin. But them I opened an account with a wallet service and linked my bank. Why do so many traders have repeat customers and such huge volume? People make a living off this stuff. You were found innocent but I understand why people have to be concerned about this stuff.

edric

hero member

Activity: 546

Merit: 501

Quote from: theymos on January 23, 2015, 10:17:45 PM

BurtW was recently arrested. The indictment (located by Raize):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/248973784/Bitcoin-indictment

Is there anything we can do to help him? There's a site with a donation address, though I'm a little suspicious that the site might be fake. (The arrest itself is very likely real.)

Why did they keep his money? I have heard that the government charges property separately from the individual. Was the money found guilty or what?

JeanW

newbie

Activity: 26

Merit: 1

Quote from: edric on September 27, 2015, 06:07:10 AM

Quote from: theymos on January 23, 2015, 10:17:58 PM

The indictment says:

Quote

involved the transport and transmission of funds that were known to the defendant to have been derived from a criminal offense and were intended to be used to promote and support unlawful activity

I wonder what that's about. I doubt that he was knowingly helping the Silk Road or anything like that...

The thing is... Why do people pay a premium for bitcoin when they can just buy it from an exchange by linking their bank? There are a lot of people that intentionally want to remain anonymous because they are laundering money or made the money illegally. I have asked some borrowers before why they can afford such high interest rates and they have told me the about their customers.

This angers me more than anything else I read. Burt never transported or transmitted funds known to be derived from a criminal offense or known to be intended to be used to promote unlawful activity. That was an absolute lie on the part of the feds to obtain a sealed search warrant. The phrase is part of a Patriot Act statute revision that enables the feds to act in secret so the feds use it liberally even when there are no facts to support it. The case was dismissed because (1) Burt did NOT need a business license and (2) he never knowingly obtained funds or sent funds that he knew were earmarked for a criminal activity.

Our family's reputation has been forever damaged because of the lies and slander by AUSA Michele Korver and S.A. Arran McWhirter and we can never sue the bastards. The least you people could do is quit perpetuating the lies.

FYI -- people new to Bitcoin like to trade in person because it gives them a chance to learn more about Bitcoins and the community. It's social. Like going to garage sales to chat.

tommorisonwebdesign

sr. member

Activity: 448

Merit: 251

Quote from: hodedowe on September 27, 2015, 08:33:19 AM

Quote from: edric on September 27, 2015, 06:07:10 AM

The thing is... Why do people pay a premium for bitcoin when they can just buy it from an exchange by linking their bank? There are a lot of people that intentionally want to remain anonymous because they are laundering money or made the money illegally. I have asked some borrowers before why they can afford such high interest rates and they have told me the about their customers.

It's sheep like you that are part of the "usefull idiots" of the world (read it), happily turning over all of their information, habits, and data to whomever wants it. Some of us value our privacy for the simple sake of "If you aren't ME, you don't have any right to know what I DO until it affects OTHERS."

Very poor thinking Edric. If you're not the customer, you're the PRODUCT.

Quote from: RussianRaibow on September 27, 2015, 06:53:26 AM

Of course not. But, not having a bank account and still needing bitcoin is definitely suspicious.

Another one here. If I don't have a bank account and I still want to invest in Gold because I think it'll go up in value or I think Russia and the US will finally get tired of slapping each other and go to full out war then I'm suspicious? You're thinking like a 13 year old girl. Long term is the only game to play.

I agree that people should be free from having to have a bank account in order to exchange Bitcoins. Bitcoin is a threat to all banks and all the propagandists out there love to use tactics like linking Bitcoiners to crime in order to protect the mass profits of banks. Banks make more money than anyone else so of course they're going to propagate bullshit about criminals using it to the masses.

Topic: BurtW arrested (update: charges dropped!) - page 5. (Read 74713 times)