RossUlbricht
ThoughtStorms Wiki
Founder of SilkRoad, a clandestine market using BitCoin.
Celebrated by BitCoin fans as an early promoter of BTC. And libertarian hero.
Though in prison for allegedly trying to hire a professional hit-man.
Quora Answer : Do you ever think the Ulbricht Ross, life sentence is unfair?
A bit.
This is a complex area. In one sense, it shouldn't be illegal just to write software that sits on a computer and talks to people.
On the other hand, he was clearly, knowingly, enabling illegal activities. Some of which I have no problem with - eg. the drug market. Some of which are genuinely unacceptable - eg. the hitmen.
I think if he himself actually tried to get someone killed, it's fair enough to put him away for a long time. That's straight premeditated attempted murder. And, to the best of my knowledge, that's on the charge-sheet.
OTOH, his sentence is probably harsher than some actual murderers because the government is trying to threaten people thinking of setting up extra-legal markets like Silk Road.
So it's weird. It's right he's being punished. But the motives behind it I disagree with.
If it's not proven that he tried to contract a killer, then the sentence is clearly too harsh.
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