Author

Topic: Charlie Shrem, the Vice Chairman of Bitcoin Foundation Arrested (Read 5294 times)

sr. member
Activity: 470
Merit: 250
Seems like they have a pretty good case for money laundering, those emails say a lot.

You mean the ones where Mr. Shrem says they should be okay because they are following the rules?
No, the ones where Shrem is giving advice on how to structure cash deposits to avoid suspicion.
full member
Activity: 140
Merit: 100
Hoist the Colours

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25919482

Looks like Mr. Shrem wasn't directly involved in something illegal. He is guilty for not notifying the Gov. about a suspicious buying of coins on bitinstant whatever that means.

He was:
http://rt.com/usa/bitcoin-operator-exchange-arrested-257/
(rt provides a link to the official statement from the justice department)

facing 25 years in a small room with a toilet and a desk (if lucky).

25 years!!!!! and they give child molesters 8 years. What the hell.
legendary
Activity: 1596
Merit: 1030
Sine secretum non libertas
Seems like they have a pretty good case for money laundering, those emails say a lot.

You mean the ones where Mr. Shrem says they should be okay because they are following the rules?
sr. member
Activity: 470
Merit: 250
Seems like they have a pretty good case for money laundering, those emails say a lot.
legendary
Activity: 2338
Merit: 2106
imagine charly s. was trading apples. they busted him because:

he traded apples for dollars with someone,

who allegedly sold those apples to others,

who allegedly used apples to score drugs.



the feds are testing levels of support of the bitcoin community. if they get away with this, they own us. every bitcoin can be traced around some corners to silkroad. you are all criminals because some other people like getting high.  Roll Eyes
legendary
Activity: 1762
Merit: 1011
Although this news seems bearish at first glance, it's actually quite bullish for bitcoin. The FBI/DEA have drawn the line in the sand and are pursuing folks who are engaging or supporting the sale of illegal drugs using bitcoins. They look at bitcoin as a morally nuetral technology that can have many different purposes, just like the internet. They'll crack down on drug use and bitcoin will look even better once it is less associated with illegal activities.

Right, so point 14. e. of the charges states "Bitcoins are not inherently illegal and have known legitimate uses, but they are also known to be used to facilitate illicit transactions and to launder criminal proceeds, given the ease with which they can be used to move money anonymously."
sr. member
Activity: 336
Merit: 250
Yeah the same thing happed after SR got busted so I guess we're up to da moon, right?

Neither, probably gonna chill here a bit, as we've been doing. Until gox farts its last fart or the chinapocalypse(tm) happens.

When that 30$ bubble popped, it was only one US senator who demanded to shut bitcoin down. Six months falling prices and BTC lost 90%.

Now we are facing multiple armageddons.


Quote
The criminal complaint says that Shrem, in addition to knowing that Faiella's business was funneling money into Silk Road, also used Silk Road himself to buy drugs, including marijuana-infused brownies.

lol charlie, I feel so sorry for you.

If it were cocaine, he would be a reliable businessman.

tststs
legendary
Activity: 2604
Merit: 3056
Welt Am Draht
I think there'll be a few more arrests of this nature to come.

It'll be slightly ironic that some of the biggest holders of Bitcoin have been massively enriched and subsequently come under a level of scrutiny that they never counted on.

I guess back in 2010-11 it would've felt like your own private playground where regular laws didn't particularly matter. They do when your platform starts to go global.
legendary
Activity: 1120
Merit: 1012
Quote
marijuana-infused brownies.

Wow. That sounds dangerous. What kind of lab does one need to infuse brownies with marijuana?

hero member
Activity: 1302
Merit: 502
Quote
The criminal complaint says that Shrem, in addition to knowing that Faiella's business was funneling money into Silk Road, also used Silk Road himself to buy drugs, including marijuana-infused brownies.

lol charlie, I feel so sorry for you.

The children can once again sleep soundly in America.



From the Wired article:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2014/01/bitcoin-exchangers-arrested/

Quote from: Wired
Faiella, concerned that BitInstant planned to keep $4,000 he had already deposited to purchase Bitcoins, threatened to contact the feds to report BitInstant. Shrem wrote back threatening to report Faiella for operating an unlicensed money exchange on Silk Road.

But authorities say Shrem then contacted Faiella privately and instructed him in how he could continue to use BitInstant surreptitiously. Although Faiella’s email address was banned from being used to conduct transactions at BitInstant, Shrem told him to simply use a different email address to secretly bypass the ban.

Ouch.
sr. member
Activity: 378
Merit: 255
From the Wired article:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2014/01/bitcoin-exchangers-arrested/

Quote from: Wired
Faiella, concerned that BitInstant planned to keep $4,000 he had already deposited to purchase Bitcoins, threatened to contact the feds to report BitInstant. Shrem wrote back threatening to report Faiella for operating an unlicensed money exchange on Silk Road.

But authorities say Shrem then contacted Faiella privately and instructed him in how he could continue to use BitInstant surreptitiously. Although Faiella’s email address was banned from being used to conduct transactions at BitInstant, Shrem told him to simply use a different email address to secretly bypass the ban.

legendary
Activity: 1666
Merit: 1057
Marketing manager - GO MP
Quote
The criminal complaint says that Shrem, in addition to knowing that Faiella's business was funneling money into Silk Road, also used Silk Road himself to buy drugs, including marijuana-infused brownies.

lol charlie, I feel so sorry for you.
hero member
Activity: 1302
Merit: 502
Yeah the same thing happed after SR got busted so I guess we're up to da moon, right?

Neither, probably gonna chill here a bit, as we've been doing. Until gox farts its last fart or the chinapocalypse(tm) happens.
legendary
Activity: 1120
Merit: 1012
Yeah the same thing happed after SR got busted so I guess we're up to da moon, right?

It looks like people aren't ready to make a major move in either direction. I'm sure the TA gurus know where we are headed though!
legendary
Activity: 1666
Merit: 1057
Marketing manager - GO MP
Let me ask you something, why the hell is bitcoin tanking after such an announcement if we have this entire economy behind it?

"Tanking"

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

"GOLD SLAMMED AS IT MOVES $5"

well 10% in a few minutes is pretty serious, even for us.

~6.25%, from which it's recovered to ~1.5%. Yawn.

lol gox.
legendary
Activity: 1666
Merit: 1057
Marketing manager - GO MP
Yeah the same thing happed after SR got busted so I guess we're up to da moon, right?
hero member
Activity: 1302
Merit: 502
Let me ask you something, why the hell is bitcoin tanking after such an announcement if we have this entire economy behind it?

"Tanking"

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

"GOLD SLAMMED AS IT MOVES $5"

well 10% in a few minutes is pretty serious, even for us.

~6.25%, from which it's recovered to ~1.5%. Yawn.
legendary
Activity: 1120
Merit: 1012
Let me ask you something, why the hell is bitcoin tanking after such an announcement if we have this entire economy behind it?

"Tanking"

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

"GOLD SLAMMED AS IT MOVES $5"

well 10% in a few minutes is pretty serious, even for us.

I can look back less than a month and see bigger moves for no apparent reason.

This thing isn't going to be stable for decades.
legendary
Activity: 1666
Merit: 1057
Marketing manager - GO MP
Let me ask you something, why the hell is bitcoin tanking after such an announcement if we have this entire economy behind it?

"Tanking"

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

"GOLD SLAMMED AS IT MOVES $5"

well 10% in a few minutes is pretty serious, even for us.
hero member
Activity: 1302
Merit: 502
Let me ask you something, why the hell is bitcoin tanking after such an announcement if we have this entire economy behind it?

"Tanking"

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

"GOLD SLAMMED AS IT MOVES $5"
legendary
Activity: 1666
Merit: 1057
Marketing manager - GO MP
Let me ask you something, why the hell is bitcoin tanking after such an event if we have this entire economy behind it?
full member
Activity: 238
Merit: 100
Stand on the shoulders of giants

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25919482

Looks like Mr. Shrem wasn't directly involved in something illegal. He is guilty for not notifying the Gov. about a suspicious buying of coins on bitinstant whatever that means.

You're in da office, baby!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgYBzlTqIHY
hero member
Activity: 1302
Merit: 502
So let's say you own an exchange, and some criminal launders some money there you're pretty much fucked.

No.

Read the article plebs. Charlie allegedly:
1) Bought drugs on the internet (they got proof, apparently)
2) Operate an unlicensed money service business
3) Knowingly laundered money (they got proof, apparently)


sr. member
Activity: 378
Merit: 250
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Available Now!
So let's say you own an exchange, and some criminal launders some money there you're pretty much fucked.

no, read the emails. he knew the guy was doing this and he was actually helping him to get around the company's monitoring system etc.
legendary
Activity: 2772
Merit: 1028
Duelbits.com
So let's say you own an exchange, and some criminal launders some money there you're pretty much fucked.

I doubt it's that simple, they're not stupid.

They obviously have some proof he was actually collaboration with someone that was hanging around SR.

It's similar charge like against that Liberty Reserve guy.
sr. member
Activity: 308
Merit: 251
Giga
So let's say you own an exchange, and some criminal launders some money there you're pretty much fucked.
sr. member
Activity: 336
Merit: 250

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25919482

Looks like Mr. Shrem wasn't directly involved in something illegal. He is guilty for not notifying the Gov. about a suspicious buying of coins on bitinstant whatever that means.

He was:
http://rt.com/usa/bitcoin-operator-exchange-arrested-257/
(rt provides a link to the official statement from the justice department)

facing 25 years in a small room with a toilet and a desk (if lucky).
full member
Activity: 238
Merit: 100
Stand on the shoulders of giants

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25919482

Looks like Mr. Shrem wasn't directly involved in something illegal. He is guilty for not notifying the Gov. about a suspicious buying of coins on bitinstant whatever that means.

wow, even me could be his lawyer ... is there a movie script around (about) ?
legendary
Activity: 1120
Merit: 1012
Although this news seems bearish at first glance, it's actually quite bullish for bitcoin. The FBI/DEA have drawn the line in the sand and are pursuing folks who are engaging or supporting the sale of illegal drugs using bitcoins. They look at bitcoin as a morally nuetral technology that can have many different purposes, just like the internet. They'll crack down on drug use and bitcoin will look even better once it is less associated with illegal activities.

After all, they've done such a good job at preventing drug purchases with fiat.
full member
Activity: 140
Merit: 100
Hoist the Colours

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25919482

Looks like Mr. Shrem wasn't directly involved in something illegal. He is guilty for not notifying the Gov. about a suspicious buying of coins on bitinstant whatever that means.
newbie
Activity: 44
Merit: 0
Mark Karpeles is next.

That pig needs to be put in jail as well.


+1
hero member
Activity: 520
Merit: 500
Although this news seems bearish at first glance, it's actually quite bullish for bitcoin. The FBI/DEA have drawn the line in the sand and are pursuing folks who are engaging or supporting the sale of illegal drugs using bitcoins. They look at bitcoin as a morally nuetral technology that can have many different purposes, just like the internet. They'll crack down on drug use and bitcoin will look even better once it is less associated with illegal activities.
full member
Activity: 196
Merit: 100
I was going to say that he was a bit short sighted travelling to america, but then I thought that if he stayed where he was out of their jurisdiction drones with rockets would soon be overhead killing innocents.

So now I see it was a brave move to give himself up.

full member
Activity: 140
Merit: 100
Hoist the Colours


Is this confirmed? With the US gov. trying to keep banks in check since the 2008 debacle one would think they had one eye on BTC. After all even HSBC wasn't safe from the gov. when they were laundering drug money Surely he must have known there was too much heat to do anything remotely illegal with BTC.

Somebody mentioned it before when Silkroad got busted you need street smarts to play criminal.
legendary
Activity: 1008
Merit: 1000
Making money since I was in the womb! @emc2whale
He is now a cancer to the whole bitcoin community.

Just because some criminals grabbed him and put him in a cage? Would you please stop all this nonsense? Smoking things and and selling things doesn't make one a criminal. And as for Charlie, I don't even think he was deliberately involved in trading with drug dealers, apart from maybe buying a tiny little bit of something.


He is a cancer, the bitcoin foundation cant be seen to bump shoulders with criminals, he is now officially a cancer!

CONFIRMED!
full member
Activity: 181
Merit: 100
He is now a cancer to the whole bitcoin community.

Just because some criminals grabbed him and put him in a cage? Would you please stop all this nonsense? Smoking things and and selling things doesn't make one a criminal. And as for Charlie, I don't even think he was deliberately involved in trading with drug dealers, apart from maybe buying a tiny little bit of something.
legendary
Activity: 1008
Merit: 1000
Making money since I was in the womb! @emc2whale
This is stupid charge unless they have explicit proof that he was part of some organized crime group.

Hopefully, he didn't left his coins on laptop too though, who would listen all those trolls and their crap about FBI coins sales Tongue

It sure sounds like they have lots of email evidence that he knowingly corroborated with BTCKing.


Seems like that to me!
legendary
Activity: 1904
Merit: 1002
This is stupid charge unless they have explicit proof that he was part of some organized crime group.

Hopefully, he didn't left his coins on laptop too though, who would listen all those trolls and their crap about FBI coins sales Tongue

It sure sounds like they have lots of email evidence that he knowingly corroborated with BTCKing.
full member
Activity: 238
Merit: 100
Stand on the shoulders of giants
Does this mean that anyone can be basically charged with money laundering  Huh

Of course. "The powers that be" can do whatever the fuck they want. Didn't you know?

my question is ... is he had smoked "Obama" ? lol

DEA Drug Bust Prank!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgEoCmHeAsc

About money laundry ... what kind of temple u belong to Huh

ps-[. religious temples are the best way to laundry money, legally ]
legendary
Activity: 2772
Merit: 1028
Duelbits.com
This is stupid charge unless they have explicit proof that he was part of some organized crime group.

Hopefully, he didn't left his coins on laptop too though, who would listen all those trolls and their crap about FBI coins sales Tongue
legendary
Activity: 1120
Merit: 1012
Does this mean that anyone can be basically charged with money laundering  Huh

Of course. "The powers that be" can do whatever the fuck they want. Didn't you know?
legendary
Activity: 1008
Merit: 1000
Making money since I was in the womb! @emc2whale
Does this mean that anyone can be basically charged with money laundering  Huh

Anyone who knowingly buys or sells BTC for illegal reasons can be.
hero member
Activity: 1106
Merit: 500
Life is short, practice empathy in your life
Mark Karpeles is next.

That pig needs to be put in jail as well.
hero member
Activity: 602
Merit: 500
Does this mean that anyone can be basically charged with money laundering  Huh
legendary
Activity: 1120
Merit: 1012
We now tune you in to the already ongoing thread, four threads away from this one. https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/ceo-of-bitinstant-arrested-435054
legendary
Activity: 1008
Merit: 1000
Making money since I was in the womb! @emc2whale
He better be stepping down ASAP.

He is now a cancer to the whole bitcoin community.
newbie
Activity: 56
Merit: 0
Charlie Shrem
Vice Chairman

Currently serving as CEO and co-founder of BitInstant, one of the largest, earliest and well known alternative payment companies, Charlie used his position in both the old banking world and new alternative currency world to help pave the way for the Bitcoin economy to emerge in early 2011. Known in the Bitcoin and old hacker communities as 'Yankee', he is also founding member and current Vice Chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation. Along with Gareth Nelson, he found the need for a more secure, fast and convenient way of transferring funds between and within payment networks around the world and leads BitInstant through the complex compliance, licensing and regulations of the worldwide banking system.

https://bitcoinfoundation.org/about/board


Since "Mr Shrem is a founding member and the current vice chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation" has been arrested at JFK airport and charged with money laundering and drugs, How legitimate is the Bitcoin Foundation gonna look now?

Wink
Now its the time for USA agents to revenge, Who is the next?

All Bitcoin Business is in fact less/more relating to SilkRoad, SilkRoad makes Bitcoin's sucess today

It's just about the timing to investigate this fact and get a reason to destroy Bitcoin, then arrest Mtgox/TradeHill/Bitinstant etc.. what will Bitcoin be without black market? Crash!


Quote
US government own DPR stash and now own the bitinstant/foundation hoard. i guess their working their way down the list or people with most bitcoins.
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