Claimed 'digital kingpin' of hidden Silk Road drug-sale website is convicted, could get life
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A California man portrayed by federal prosecutors as the mastermind behind a hidden website that generated $213 million in illicit sales over a period of a little more than two years was convicted Wednesday by a New York jury on all counts.
Ross Ulbricht, 30, had argued at trial that he was not involved in operating the Silk Road site in recent years and had been set up to take the fall by those who really ran it. The jury, however, was persuaded by the government’s position that Ulbricht, who was arrested in a San Francisco library in 2013 when he was logged on to the site as Dread Pirate Roberts, its chief honcho, was in fact the “digital kingpin” behind the online black-market bazaar, according to the New York Times (reg. req.).
The feds said most of the sales made via the site involved illegal drug transactions, which were paid for in Bitcoins to allow the parties to remain anonymous. Ulbricht earned millions in commissions, prosecutors said. They contended Ulbricht had a stash of Bitcoins worth $18 million when he was arrested.
It took the jury less than four hours to convict him on all counts in the Manhattan case, including narcotics distribution and criminal enterprise charges that carry a potential life prison term. Ulbricht faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 20 years when he is sentenced in May, reports USA Today.
His parents said after the verdict that Ulbricht likely will appeal his conviction and contended that he had been incorrectly barred from presenting evidence that would have supported his defense.
“When it’s not an even playing field, it’s not a fair trial,” said his mother, Lyn Ulbricht. “If we don’t have fair trials in this country, then we’re all in trouble.”
Ulbricht’s lawyer, Joshua Dratel, described the jury verdict as “very disappointing” but said he expects his client to prevail on appeal due to the court’s restrictions on evidence and witnesses Ulbricht was allowed to present, reports the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.).
Bloomberg and Wired also have stories.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Was ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ multiple people? Federal judge limits defense in $200M Silk Road case”
ABAJournal.com: “Emoticons matter, judge rules in Silk Road trial”
Law & Disorder (Ars Technica, opinion): “Ross Ulbricht got a fair trial (but not a fair investigation)”
Wired: “Read the Transcript of Silk Road’s Boss Ordering 5 Assassinations”
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Federal judge in $1.2B Silk Road drug case is threatened online”
