Nostr Web Client

Honest question: Why do so many people want Ross Ulbricht pardoned today?

Is it because his sentence was extremely harsh?

According to GPTs, a fair sentence for crimes similar to Ulbricht's might be:

- Drug Trafficking: 15-30 years

- Hacking: 5-10 years

- Money Laundering: 10-20 years

Aggregated, possibly 20-40 years concurrently, considering first-offense, no proven violence, and potential for rehabilitation.

He’s served 11 years and 3 months.

Best explanation I’ve seen is by Rep. Thomas Massie nostr:npub1jadxeczshxk2x0yuuz9gpd6jpmy5j8vkh3mluxk2jqa32fclf6mq70u6f3 and his short video posted on X/Twitter. He argues that he set up a website which enabled others to sell drugs and those drug dealers are already free while Ross remains in prison.

To play devil’s advocate, you could argue that the website enabled thousands of illegal transactions - including, as some allege, listings for murder-for-hire. If true, the punishment might fit, given the site's total reach.

I’m genuinely curious because I don’t know enough about Ross or his case. I’ve seen many calling for his release (#FreeRoss) and would love to understand their perspective.

Personally, I think Ross has served enough time. Double life plus 40 years is excessive for a young person who launched a website and got in over their head. At the same time, I see the potential real-world harm the site may have caused, especially if murder-for-hire claims are true.

If it were me, I’d hope for the benefit of the doubt and a chance to prove I’ve learned from my mistakes.

I know a lot of folks here on Nostr are vocal about this like nostr:npub1qny3tkh0acurzla8x3zy4nhrjz5zd8l9sy9jys09umwng00manysew95gx - would be interesting to get their take.

#gm #plebchain #asknostr #ross #rossulbricht #dayone

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Discussion

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

nostr:npub1k7vkcxp7qdkly7qzj3dcpw7u3v9lt9cmvcs6s6ln26wrxggh7p7su3c04l

Patrick 11mo ago

https://youtu.be/yhDKYYdD2vY

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

Thanks! Watching.

Patrick 11mo ago

I just watched it the other day and thought it might be useful here. Happy to discuss further if you have more questions!

Des Imoto マキシ 11mo ago

What did he do wrong? Im not clear, are you saying because he tolerated people buying and selling drugs on a website AND assuming buying and selling drugs is wrong that he should have been the enforcer….while the real reason they made an example out of him is that THEY needed to stop a free market place based on Bitcoin…he should be punished?

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

Just trying to understand the different perspectives people have on Ross.

I can see your point that they tried to make an example out of him. It’s pretty obvious with that sentence he received.

InsecureBrowser 11mo ago

"just"

like a lil bitch

Séimí Mac Síomón 11mo ago

Dude, you sound like a narc, bro made a website get over it 🙄

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

Always two sides to every story, just trying to get the full picture.

InsecureBrowser 11mo ago

"just"

like a lil bitch

InsecureBrowser 11mo ago

do your own fucking research, you damned impotent chatgpt addict

TK SuitCoin.exe 80HpW 11mo ago

It's pretty simple what he created was a tool and for you to try to advocate that because somebody created a tool and that someone else used that tool for nefarious purposes that you the originator of the tool are guilty of that crime is a nonsensical and ridiculous argument.

Nobody in their right mind would ever try to equate these 2 things as being Exactly the same.

Evidence that was in his court case proved none of the accusations in which he said equated to time being served. It's clear and evident that the government wanted to out Ross as being an example in order to stifle anyone into looking into a money in which the government could not stop.

Big Barry Bitcoin 11mo ago

First of all, his sentence was 2 life sentences, not 11 years, not 30 years.

Second, he didn't break any rules or laws, he only dared to create a marketplace where people could trade in private. He was targeted, the nature of his investigation should have gotten the case thrown out, and this is a clear case of government creating a narrative and threatening the public to fall into line and not think outside the box while simultaneously ruining someone's life in order to do that.

He showed the world that Bitcoin could be used as money and that people can trade and operate with some basic privacy and dignity.

Remember that something being illegal like drugs does not make it immoral. The war on drugs was very much in play at the time.

This scared those in power, as it should but it did two things: it put a target on his back, but it also inspired others to understand bitcoin so he is not just a user of bitcoin, he is a pioneer. He pushed the needle towards achievable freedom forward. His release will be celebrated because of that.

Big Barry Bitcoin 11mo ago

Oh and talking about real world harms, the war on drugs has reportedly cause way more harm and his website showed that in a competitive market, poor quality drugs are hard to come by while less harmful cuts of the same drugs flood the market and responsible use is encouraged.

When will someone take the fall for all the harms that the government has done with all of their ideas and experiments? Why do they always have the last say on these things? How much is then "doing their best" vs being absolutely malicious and why can't an entrepreneur have an idea and "do his best" if he has good intentions?

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

Hi Barry, thanks for the reply.

I did mention the sentence was double life sentence + 40 years and that he's served 11 years 3 months thus far.

Again, I think he should be free. A double life sentence is overly harsh. However, I do think he broke laws. Here's why:

- The Silk Road facilitated drug sales.

Unfortunately, that's considered illegal in the US and most countries in the world, including Iceland where it looks like the main server(s) were located.

If he and/or the servers were located in a country where that was not illegal, then I would agree with you.

I might even agree with you *if* the website didn't actually have a website menu category specifically called "Drugs" and sub-categories for "Opioids" and the like.

If there were no categories for drugs and users just listed the stuff under "Other", I would likely agree with you 100% that he didn't commit a crime but going out of your way to add those menu categories means you understood what you were doing. I think that's where he made the mistake, it's hard to argue against it.

Having said that, I think drugs should not be illegal. I think adults should make their own choices. I think it's immoral for the government to tell adults what they can or cannot do with their bodies.

It seems like he's a good person that made a mistake and I think he's definitely more than paid the price and should be free.

nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgqg4waehxw309ajkgetw9ehx7um5wghxcctwvsq3samnwvaz7tmvd9nksarwd9hxwun9d3shjtnrdakszxrhwden5te0d35kw6r5de5kuemjv4kxz7fwvdhk6qgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcqgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcqgawaehxw309ahx7um5wgkhyetvv9ujuatww3jhg6rj9ekk2zgpr4mhxue69uhkummnw3ez6un9d3shjtn4de6x2argwghx6egfqy2hwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytndd9kx7afwd3hkcqg4waehxw309ahx7um5wghx66tvda6jumr0dsq35amnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wdaexzmn8v4cxjmrv9ejx2asprfmhxue69uhkummnw3ezummjv9hxwetsd9kxctnyv4mqzyrhwden5te0dehhxarj9emkjmn9qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2qgjwaehxw309ahkvenrdpskjm3wwp6kyqgjwaehxw309ahkvenrdpskjm3wwp6kyqgewaehxw309ac82unpwe5kgcfwdehhxarj9ekxzmnyqyvhwumn8ghj7ur4wfshv6tyvyhxummnw3ezumrpdejqz9mhwden5te0wfjkccte9e3h2unjv4h8gtnx095sz9mhwden5te0wfjkccte9e3h2unjv4h8gtnx095sz9rhwden5te0wfjkccte9ejxzmt4wvhxjmcpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduq35amnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwdehhxarjvaexzurg9ehx2aqprfmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68yemjv9cxstnwv46qzxnhwden5te0wfjkccte9ehx7um5wf5kx6r9wvhx7un8qyd8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgunfvd5x2uewdaexwqgcwaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8xmn0wf6zuum0vd5kzmqprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuumwdae8gtnnda3kjctvqys8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtn5dpjk7unpdenk2urfd3kxzurs9e3k7mgpypmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuargv4hhyctwvajhq6tvd3shqupwvdhk6qgnwaehxw309aex2mrp09skymr99ehhyecpzdmhxue69uhhyetvv9ukzcnvv5hx7un8qqs2auxkkgfgylem580xrztp8ek5sf83s86k0vfq2feuz6y4lkhskgcg63wlj has an interview with Ross's mother Lyn. He provides a great use for the website, he was able to source his mothers cancer medication via the Silk Road website. It's unfortunate that some legitimate use cases for the website are considered a crime.

I'm glad a conversation can be had about it. This case is difficult because it's emotional and triggering for a lot of people. It's interesting to see peoples replies and reactions to this topic.

Big Barry Bitcoin 11mo ago

What is your thoughts on what he was and was not convicted for officially?

https://freeross.org/the-charges/

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

Without being a lawyer and with the limited info I have, I think he should have not served any time or the prison sentence should have been very low.

It's a difficult case because he didn't do anything directly and it's all non-violent.

For each charge:

- Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Narcotics by Means of the Internet - I think it's hard to argue against this given the website had menu categories specifically for different types of drugs.

– Continuing Criminal Enterprise - It's hard for me to consider the Silk Road a criminal enterprise since it's hard to prove intent BUT lawyers can easily argue this case.

– Conspiracy to Aid and Abet Computer Hacking - If no proof computers were hacked by Ross, this is an easy win for Ross.

– Conspiracy to Traffic in Fraudulent IDs - Similar to first point above, if the site had menu categories for fake id's, it's hard to argue against it. I don't know if they did though.

– Conspiracy to Launder Money - If it's purely because users transacted in Bitcoin, I'd say this is the weakest of all charges because that was just their accepted currency.

I'm not a lawyer and it's just my opinion on what I read and the limited amount I've seen.

Again, the biggest mistake made was having menu categories and language on the website specifically mentioning drugs and possibly other items some countries find illegal. If the site just had an "Other" section and users posted there, I think it would have been much harder convict him.

I'm hoping he gets released any moment. Have you heard anything yet?

Big Barry Bitcoin 11mo ago

Not yet.

Its a simplification, but he is basically a martyr for bitcoin and a hero to anarchists and libertarians who believe government should have less power and rules should not be applied/enforced in an uneven manner.

A simple analogy, if a man targeted and killed your entire family and you confronted and injured him, is it really fair given that HIS family is the government, that you be punished to the highest degree while he gets to continue targeting and killing other families?

The government conspired against one man, they entrapped him, their agents took advantage and profited personally from his platform.

I don't believe this was about justice, I believe it was sending a message about who is boss.

Another analogy, you are hungry, a man named Robinhood steals from the rich to give to the poor. You survive another day.

The police find and capture this man. More people become homeless, the homeless are dying all around you, Robinhood is plastered all over the walls to scare anyone else from ever attempting this again.

No one does anything about the growing homeless, but immediate action was taken when the privileged were slightly inconvenienced at the benefit of the poor. And of course, it isn't like rich aren't stealing from the poor.

I know these are analogies and not proofs or facts, but some of the facts are not framed neutrally.

"Facilitated drug trade", or "opened a market for alternative medications that were originally outlawed to allow racists to target a minority group more effectively"?

We seem to live by arbitrary truths like "breaking the law is bad", and although it is generally true, it is an absolute statement that leaves no room for context.

I don't believe there were any correlations between drug related deaths and assaults, and the silk road being operational for example.

Big Barry Bitcoin 11mo ago

Anyways I think we're mostly on the same page, I hope I was helpful.

Tony Carrera 11mo ago

He’s free!

Cykros 11mo ago

They let Noriega out after 17 years on good behavior.

Nuff said.

Monkey Pox Denier 11mo ago

The only thing he did, was facilitating free speech.

Because thats the only thing you do on a Marketplace - you talk/barter.

When you pay with bitcoin, you give some speech (words, code, numbers...) into the network.

"Black" and "Grey" markets are the normal thing.

REGULATET markets are not natural, they are made to make you an obedient tax slave. Other people deciding, what an adult person is allowed to buy or consume?

That's totalitarian shit.

Defund the state, Free the economy and FOR FUCKS SAKE FINALLY PUT THE COCAINE BACK INTO COKE