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Topic: FBI seized coins sold = bitcoin legal in USA? - page 2. (Read 2663 times)

full member
Activity: 225
Merit: 100
Maybe USA will now realise that their economy is not as good as BTC and should adopt BTC and make it perfectly legal to do whatever with it... within reason.
legendary
Activity: 1792
Merit: 1000
The sale will make it easier to argue with banks that don't like Bitcoin transactions  Grin

legendary
Activity: 1764
Merit: 1002
Who cares.  Do I need to know if the dollars in my wallet were ever used to buy Cocaine?  No.  If I find out they were, should I go ahead and destroy them because they're not as "clean" as dollars that weren't previously used to buy Cocaine?  Again, no.
You may not care, but the FBI (or your country's police) may take a special interest in you if you receive coins from an address that belongs to a drug dealer, Al Qaida, whatever.  If the interest is too intense, people and companies may start worrying about the pedigree of coins that they receive.

Crowd detectives are already trying to identify and publish addresses supposedly holding stolen coins.  If bitcoin grows, the police will start doing the same. 

Cash is moderately fungible because it is impractical to build a substantial database of "dirty" banknote numbers, keep it updated, and require everybody to check it before accepting a cash payment.  (But banks may already do that to some extent.)  With bitcoin, where all transactions are public and must be checked against the blockchain anyway,  these obstacles do not exist.


Sorry, but actions of gov't agencies can be held just as accountable as individuals in a court of law.

If the FBI  didn't care enough to destroy drug related bitcoin they seized but instead chose to profit from a sale,  they set a precident  for similar future transactions whether they like it or not. 
legendary
Activity: 1624
Merit: 1196
Reputation first.
Isn't that wonderfully news?
Thoughts?

Bitcoin was already legal in USA, when your country tax him like "property"  Grin Grin
hero member
Activity: 910
Merit: 1003
Who cares.  Do I need to know if the dollars in my wallet were ever used to buy Cocaine?  No.  If I find out they were, should I go ahead and destroy them because they're not as "clean" as dollars that weren't previously used to buy Cocaine?  Again, no.
You may not care, but the FBI (or your country's police) may take a special interest in you if you receive coins from an address that belongs to a drug dealer, Al Qaida, whatever.  If the interest is too intense, people and companies may start worrying about the pedigree of coins that they receive.

Crowd detectives are already trying to identify and publish addresses supposedly holding stolen coins.  If bitcoin grows, the police will start doing the same. 

Cash is moderately fungible because it is impractical to build a substantial database of "dirty" banknote numbers, keep it updated, and require everybody to check it before accepting a cash payment.  (But banks may already do that to some extent.)  With bitcoin, where all transactions are public and must be checked against the blockchain anyway,  these obstacles do not exist.
legendary
Activity: 1512
Merit: 1000
On the contrary, these coins will be better than others because they have a pedigree, "coins auctioned by the FBI"; while the others may be "coins stolen from MtGOX", "coins paid by an illegal casino",  "coins controlled by the Al Qaida", "coins with unknown history", etc..

Who cares.  Do I need to know if the dollars in my wallet were ever used to buy Cocaine?  No.  If I find out they were, should I go ahead and destroy them because they're not as "clean" as dollars that weren't previously used to buy Cocaine?  Again, no.

Is one of the dollars in my wallet worth more, or valued higher because I know I got it from the bank instead of another dollar that I received as change at McDonalds?
hero member
Activity: 910
Merit: 1003
This action proves that bitcoins are fungible.
Can't see why.  On the contrary, these coins will be better than others because they have a pedigree, "coins auctioned by the FBI"; while the others may be "coins stolen from MtGOX", "coins paid by an illegal casino",  "coins controlled by the Al Qaida", "coins with unknown history", etc..
hero member
Activity: 504
Merit: 500
In practice, it does indicate legality. I'll feel better when we see specific regulations.
legendary
Activity: 2338
Merit: 2106
bitcoin has been 100% legal in US since late last year. i'm guessing by the time the ETFs hit wall street all the regulation will be crystal clear.

FBI selling bitcoin is awesome.

the fact that they stole SR users funds makes one wonder if stealing peoples BTC fundz is legal... the FBI's doin it!  Cheesy

wow, imagine that everything a governemt does would be declared legal. (are there laws out there that governments did not violate ? makes me wonder, since they made the laws... Cheesy )
legendary
Activity: 1904
Merit: 1037
Trusted Bitcoiner
bitcoin has been 100% legal in US since late last year. i'm guessing by the time the ETFs hit wall street all the regulation will be crystal clear.

FBI selling bitcoin is awesome.

the fact that they stole SR users funds makes one wonder if stealing peoples BTC fundz is legal... the FBI's doin it!  Cheesy
sr. member
Activity: 952
Merit: 281
And just imagine if it is the SEC buying? 
legendary
Activity: 1904
Merit: 1037
Trusted Bitcoiner
legendary
Activity: 1176
Merit: 1010
Borsche
bitcoin was never illegal in the u.s. - that is true, but almost the entire year 2013 there was big fear here in this forum that it could become illegal. it was the senate hearings that calmed this fear in november last year. but before it was an often used example of FUD (or real fear) often referred to as the "biggest threat"

keeping this in mind it is imho ok to refer to this fed auction as a sign of approval by the feds.   

on the other hand, feds sell all kinds of illegal shit to pre-approved parties Smiley
legendary
Activity: 2338
Merit: 2106
bitcoin was never illegal in the u.s. - that is true, but almost the entire year 2013 there was big fear here in this forum that it could become illegal. it was the senate hearings that calmed this fear in november last year. but before it was an often used example of FUD (or real fear) often referred to as the "biggest threat"

keeping this in mind it is imho ok to refer to this fed auction as a sign of approval by the feds.   
legendary
Activity: 1764
Merit: 1002
This actually one of the most legal ways to get BTC in the USA at this time. If they ask you where did you get them, you just say: FBI, biatch!

This action proves that bitcoins are fungible.

And fungibility means whether they originate from the FBI or not.
legendary
Activity: 2324
Merit: 1125
If they confiscate XTC, they are not allowed to sell it. They are selling this. Of course this means it's legal. But then, wasn't it always legal to begin with? Nothing has changed.
hero member
Activity: 812
Merit: 587
Space Lord
This actually one of the most legal ways to get BTC in the USA at this time. If they ask you where did you get them, you just say: FBI, biatch!
legendary
Activity: 2590
Merit: 3015
Welt Am Draht
There's never been a question of it not being legal has there? It does add a nice little nudge of legitimacy though.
legendary
Activity: 1029
Merit: 1000
I posted a comment on why they don't keep the coins and someone responded that they always just liquidate (rather than think of what they have as an investment).

So I guess thats just what they are trying to do.
Ok, but they must follow law. They can't do anything illegal (publicly). They will create precedence and admitt that nothig wrong is in Bitcoin and trade to fiat.

Edit: They can't sell seized drugs. Or am I wrong?
hero member
Activity: 518
Merit: 500
I posted a comment on why they don't keep the coins and someone responded that they always just liquidate (rather than think of what they have as an investment).

So I guess thats just what they are trying to do.
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