Right.
In any case, no one would risk using an "honest" mixer.
Bullshit. You can't speak for everyone. What "risk" is there?
If I wanted to mix coins for privacy, would I go to a mixing service related to a string of the thefts, which openly admits money laundering? Or a mixing service where I can put a face to the operation, someone who is open about what they do and does their best to make sure they don't ever handle stolen funds. One which has a solid reputation for playing fair with everyone. Call me boring, but I'd go for the second option, because it's actually
lower risk.
Who was that guy who used to do (or still does) escrows? Johnk? People sent him tens, hundreds and thousands of bitcoin to hold in trust, because even though they never met the guy, he had a reputation for being honest. So stop knocking honesty like it's a bad or naive thing.
The fact that they have a policy that enables them to, unto themselves, confiscate and redistribute deposited money based on a (quite possibly arbitrary) link to a theft, would scare any "honest" customers away.
You see, I knew you would just
assume the "honest" mixer would confiscate stolen coins. *I* *never* *said* *that*.
I actually think it would work more like escrows service. Send coins to mixer. No issues, coins get mixed. Send coins to mixer. Claims of theft. Mixer sends coins back to original address after 7 days. Then we know the thief still has the stolen coins. And this will allow seven days for the genuine owner to track down the thief etc.
It's not the mixer services job to be the police. But if they have any doubts, they should refuse to handle the coins. If all mixer services operated this way, then a theft would have no way to launder stolen coins and it would make it very hard to do anything with those coins without getting caught.
Again, these are only work-in-progress ideas, but for those saying it's impossible I'm trying to provide answers. Speaking of which:
Hey lemme get this straight. So you come up with an idea that doesn't work, argue that it should be the way things are done, even though you can't figure out how to make it work. And you are arguing.....why? Oh ya, to convince a bunch a bitcoiners that money laundering is a crime.
Dickish comment. I did not come up with an idea that doesn't work - it's not worked out in full detail is all. Big difference!
I see absolutely no reason this idea wouldn't work. I also think it would be very good for bitcoin to have some more fucking honest and trustworthy players.
Those who see faults in it
don't seem to trust anyone. There is nothing anyone can do for you. Except say "Look out! Who is that behind you??!! They are going to steal your bitcoin!! Sleep with one eye open!"