If you have not seen it yet, you should definitely check out the new "silk road" documentary movie.
It talks all about ross' activities, and how he got busted. Turns out they can't get past encryption, so they had to catch him while using his laptop on the website.
He used darknet identities on clearnet websites. Really stupid mistakes. I think there is a lot to learn for new markets to stay away from law enforcement seizures.
This movie gives you the whole story. Quite interesting. I did not realize that he thought he was a political figure changing society.
He valued his website at 10 or 11 figures.
It talks about how he put a hit out on an employee that he thought stole money from him.
I learned a lot from this movie that I did not know about the original silk road and ross ulbrict.
they talked about the ethics in the beginning: "treat others as you would wish to be treated mind your own business"
believed they were ushering in a new era of human freedom.
users believed: "i should be allowed to put whatever substances i choose into my body"
ross saw what he was doing as more important than his "insignificant life" and thus was willing to put himself at risk in order to attempt the movement.
he had thoughts such as: "we're taking about a monumental shift in the power structure of the world, power is being returned to the individual"
the wife of the guy he put the hit out on had to stage his death and take photos of him appearing to be dead.
when chronic pain got his CD it was not by a traditional postage vehicle, so look out for that.
if i understand correctly, furthermore, the FBI actually took chronicpain to a hotel and shoved his head in the tub full of water, to take photos appearing to be torture to meet ross' requests to the LE agent.
jury took just 3 and a half hours to reach their verdict of a life sentence.
the judge told him: "you wanted this to be your legacy and now it is."
they say many markets have replaced it now and have become darker (allowing more types of products and services that aren't exactly kosher), and are doing way more business than the original silk road did.
Whats the documentary called?