This is Why I've Been Saying that Nucleus' Owner has probably Been Arrested:-

I decided to wait a week before posting this on the main sub. Here goes:-

"I've got a feeling that the handcuffs have locked. The last withdrawal from Nucleus was on 13 April, a hefty 12 btc which is almost certainly by the owner (there is 5000 btc remaining in the marketplace wallets, nothing stolen).

Nucleus' owner sent it to this wallet:-

https://blockchain.info/address/1Hxt8gUKqkJP2PhCXyWMVB1SGYbMGWyuAR

Which has been in use for a few months, and has had 1668 btc pass through it - $714 k (lots of small payments in, but the bulk of the money is from Nucleus). Not bad for 3 months!

https://blockchain.info/charts/received-per-day?address=1Hxt8gUKqkJP2PhCXyWMVB1SGYbMGWyuAR

Here's the troubling part:- If we look at it in walletexplorer, we can see that he cashed out 59 btc to localbitcoins recently

https://www.walletexplorer.com/wallet/3c6ff0f47e7246e0

Scroll down to 2nd April. He deposited 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 and 9btc to localbitcoins, without tumbling.

I think that one subpoena to LBC later, Nucleus went down, and that guy's (usually busy) wallet fell silent.

I didn't want to post this on the main sub."


It may be that the marketplace admins were arrested at the same time, or that they haven't confirmed the arrest in case it alerted the cops to the fact that they have the right man in custody, and not a very big vendor. They must surely know that they have arrested Nucleus' owner, because the site is still down.

The cops may have access to the server, but I think they would have put up a "seized" notice by now, and started draining the bitcoins. I really hope I'm wrong and this is a straight exit scam, because at least gwern can't read all your messages between you and vendors.

Lets all keep our fingers crossed for Mr. Nucleus. Something bad has happenned, but he hasn't robbed us and it looks like he DID manage to shut his laptop down before the cops got it and he's telling them nada.

You've probably seen enough of blockexplorer to make you think twice about taking your bitcoin out now, even if you could.

The best scenario is that Mr Nucleus manages to sneak his user ID and password out via his lawyer to one of the admins. They bring the site back up for a day or two, and you all withdraw your nitcoin and delete anything you can.

Site owners can sneak their earnings out if they tumble them, Mr Nucleus did a good job of hiding amongst the crowd. BUT IF YOU TAKE BITCOIN OUT WHEN THE SITE IS DOWN AND NORMAL USERS CAN'T WITHDRAW BITCOIN, COPS WILL SPOT THAT YOU ARE THE SITE OWNER like I did. 59 btc is quite a lot to sell in one day on localbitcoins, even if you keep each transaction down to 10 btc.

Localbitcoins are based in Finland, not North Korea. If the cops ask for the username assotiated with a particular wallet address they have to cooperate and the cops have your name, account number and sort code.

I'm going to get trolled by the usual guys telling you I don't know anything about bitcoin, but you can follow my working above for yourself. Remember that walletexplorer is good at looking at the whole wallet app eg electrum, multibit, mycelium - which can all use several (or thousands) of bitcoin addresses. Blockchain.info is better at looking at one address at a time. It doesn't know if a wallet belongs to nucleus or localbitcoins or the same android phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Tj7ZUD138

Nothing never done before the time time time


Comments


[100 Points] None:

[removed]


[18 Points] justdidcoke:

I really hope I'm wrong and this is a straight exit scam, because at least gwern can't read all your messages between you and vendors.

PGP bitch!

Also, 2/3 multisig with no escrow would mean that the market wouldn't even be able to exit scam (because they'd have no access to the funds, so it makes no sense). Also, root access doesn't beat cryptography, so no, a smart dev (like me) wouldn't be able to scam you with 2/3 multisig.

It's funny, because if this utopia was real, we'd know when is a market going down because of cops and we'd lose no coins.


[15 Points] scamseason:

[HITS TEH METH PIPE HARD] Ok Bro, alternative scenario. What if he paid his main guy, and his main guy was actually his mom. His mom cashed out on localbitcoins but it turns out his mom is actually an undercover. She created the perfect parallel construction and set the dude up. BUT THEN turns out the whole operation was run by the feds and the DUDE was actually head of the NSA the entire time and his mom was a corrupt undercover. I just debunked the entire Nucleus in five sentences. Moms going to jail, game over.


[11 Points] Lucyintehsky:

Nobody really knows who sold or sent bitcoins to LBC, but i would say its totally plausable that you are right, but with your given record i am more inclined to just ignore this and wait for someone else to come by.


[10 Points] TheOpiateKing:

What are you talking about? You posted last week saying that nucleus admins used these 59 BTC to do maintenance work. Now all of a sudden they have been arrested? Gezz.


[8 Points] skibeur:

I dont post here but I am a sucker for the drama. After one of your earlier posts about him cashing out I went a searched for the wallet you mentioned above that cashed out and found it. I realize there are 4 addresses connected to this wallet, but only one has a balance. If you look at earlier transactions in this wallet you also see pretty large deposits from Alphabay, the last one being in Feb 2016 and the first being in November of last year. There are more than 50 of them, and some of them are as big as 10 - 12 btc. The Nucleus deposits are much larger and more frequent, but the Alphabay deposits are the only thing that made me question your theory. The only other explanation is a huge vendor. I am no expert by any means, just spent a good few hours looking at wallet explorer last night.


[5 Points] ThatBoyUpToSomething:

There is no reason this can't just be a lucky vendor who got the last withdrawal.


[5 Points] HonkySpaceship:

They must surely know that they have arrested Nucleus' owner, because the site is still down.

lol. No other possibilities?

I really hope I'm wrong and this is a straight exit scam, because at least gwern.....

You are, but it is probably also not a straight exit scam.

Something bad has happenned

That depends on who you ask, for the users of dnms, the site is down so that is bad, other than that we can't say much.

You've probably seen enough of blockexplorer to make you think twice about taking your bitcoin out now, even if you could.

Nope. Everyone would be withdrawing without a second thought if they could unless they thought they could purchase from nuke again.

The best scenario is that Mr Nucleus manages to sneak his user ID and password out via his lawyer to one of the admin.

Um. That is a scenario, I'll give you that, definitely not best case though...

COPS WILL SPOT THAT YOU ARE THE SITE OWNER** like I did.

Root access does not mean you are the owner. This could be a nice diversion. Why take some of the money and not all? Could be a result of extortion, maybe it is a contingency plan, idk, there could be many more explanations that don't involve the owner getting busted.

If the cops ask for the username assotiated with a particular wallet address they have to cooperate and the cops have your name, account number and sort code.

Well they have a name and account number....

I'm going to get trolled by the usual guys telling you I don't know anything about bitcoin

This is one of the few times I disagreed with a majority of what you've said but I'm only saying your conclusions and logic are off and you made some assumptions that seem closeminded.


[3 Points] lovelylittlegangster:

Whichever vendor this is... thinking oh fuck! just my luck!

First I loose a load of bitcoin when nuke does down.

Then this fucking BBMC guy picks my fucking wallet to post all over /r/DNMs.

Can't I catch a break?


[5 Points] PsyHighBuyTieDie1:

Sometimes it's better to just accept that we don't know something than to go on a long multiparagraph speculative adventure. Then again, meth.


[4 Points] None:

[deleted]


[3 Points] Anti-Hero_AU:

https://www.walletexplorer.com/wallet/2e6044e1cff258a4

What about the 4 X 11.0 BTC here? What's this all about, then?

Must have something to do with "Mr. Nucleus" ("it must be something bad"). Let's write a story...

I do get your path followed, but is it the right one?


[3 Points] DatMaxFreak:

With tight opsec, a localbitcoins subpoena won't lead them to you. You don't need any kind of ID for an LBC account and he could easily have connected over Tor and made the trade in person. It would definitely be another piece of the puzzle but in no way would this be game over or even all the worrisome for Mr Nucleus of he's been playing his cards right all along.


[5 Points] crenshaw11:

BBMC for president!


[3 Points] Just4theDrama:

the wallet you posted just sent roughly 50 coins out


[2 Points] Just4theDrama:

Correct me if I Am Wrong but it's now down 158 hours so 6,58 daYs. Means the time Of that withdraw nuc was still up and running.

Nevertheless your theory sounds not impossible.


[2 Points] abrakazan:

So... you mean to tell me that someone with financial means and general knowledge to start, promote, and run a marketplace could be as stupid as to not tumble his own bitcoins before selling? That seems far-fetched to me. Now we've seen crazier around here (email address in the server directly linked to owners), but that just sounds ignorant? Can anyone fill me in as to why someone with seemingly strong knowledge of this business would make such a rookie mistake? A lot of us tumble our measly BTC just to buy a few joints.


[1 Points] None:

im sure it will be several years and many bust later but we will eventually know and evolve once again? untill we actually know? its just stipulation...OP's post is plausible


[1 Points] ThankYouBasedGodLilB:

Love you


[1 Points] trynakick:

So, other than Carl Force, is this the first bust that is directly related to following the block chain? (Assuming this is true)

And for folks who are more knowledgable than I about this stuff, would this indicate a new level of sophistication in LE tactics? (Again, if this is true)

For those that doubt the veracity of this claim, do you have a more plausible theory?


[1 Points] painthrow:

/u/Vendor_BBMC Didnt he tumble the coins


[1 Points] ciphersexual:

I'm hoping your account earns an LE subpoena to reddit outta this, much like your old pal Gwern after Evolution.

fingers crossed!


[1 Points] lordredvampire:

Hence why he/she should have used exchanged.i2p instead. But, yeah, we don't have much seller atm: patience is virtue.


[1 Points] MT_Merchant_Mangler:

To /u/Vendor_BBMC defense, If anybody would know, it would be a Fed.


[1 Points] angerycat:

Well what ever Nuc is still down and for those that need a place to go r/joindream


[1 Points] _FreshAccount_:

I just feel a noose tightening around my neck and hear the handcuffs clicking.


[1 Points] BlueNoFear:

https://blockchain.info/address/1Hxt8gUKqkJP2PhCXyWMVB1SGYbMGWyuAR

Lots of movement today from this wallet... No. Transactions 652
Total Received 1,699.39703009 BTC
Final Balance 0.00870628 BTC


[1 Points] attilathehunn:

PSA: Joinmarket hides your wallets from walletexplorer

https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarkets/comments/45vuch/psa_you_can_now_be_your_own_tumbler_at_01/


[1 Points] heyfreshhhhh:

You make me both want to and never want to try meth.


[1 Points] alfabi:

I fail to see a logic in if btc are not moving its something else and not exit scam. Is there some exit scam manual where you must move coins immediatelly at once? Why to rush? I would leave it for at least several months. I did not looked bbmc theory however I never take him at face value. Did withdraw happened prior or after nucleus went down? I do not know. I need conclusive proof that it happened when site was offline. This is first thing to be detirmined, if prior, then bbmc theory is down the drain and waste of time. Also, its hard to believe that nuc admin who was able to run a market for long time to do such noob mistake. Or is it actually mistake? Tumbling and money lounder are two different things. For all we know that could be from some vendor who now because of bbmc idiotic careless attention desire could potentionaly have trouble. Also, i doubt Mr Nuc is from US or UK and le from some east country are not sofisticated or have resources as in western world. I doubt he registered lbc at his own name. Who is to say that he exchanged that btc for fiat? He could deposit btc to lbc, wait some time and withdraw btc to some other wallet. Why would be arrested so fast after nucleus went down? Also, who and why took site down if hes arrested? Police? It would be a seizure notice. Hes arrested that same day when site went down? Or later? If later, why site was put off line? Police spoted that withdraw to lbc when site was off line, concluded it must be from nucleus stuff, judge issued subpoeaned lbc and arrested him? Police from what country, what court issued a warrant, juridisction? Again, why site was out offline in the first place and without any announcment? No notice from police nor nucleus stuff? There are too many assumptions to even consider it intersesting. I could continue but its waste of time and why to bother. I actually do not care about nucleus but sorry to all who lost btc. Multisig market def have advantage.
All of this is totaly worthless speculation. All bbmc want is to feel important with meaningless things. If Mr Nuc in any time get arrested, for whatever reason, you can bet that bbmc would take full credit for it. He took credit for too much things when actually hes done absolutelly nothing related. He would bombard us with it to the enternity like he do with all his ramblings, just because he says it and repeat it milions of times. Beside, credit for what exatly? What that matters? Exit scam or arrest, btc is gone! Why to bother with worhless shit? Bbmc is biggest wanna-be gibberish troll I ever seen.


[1 Points] None:

[removed]


[1 Points] Unitedgoblinallience:

BBMC and his crotch stuffing that's what this type of post from him is! Trying to make his little meth dick look bigger when really he is a deluded drug addict who used to be a vendor. He doesn't cook meth he just does the final wash for the Chinese because of the way they smuggle it in.

I wish we could tie dildos to his hands and push him down the stairs when I read his constant lies and ridiculous block chain analysis twice before he's posted "market" wallets which have been the wallets of exchanges. The guys got meth for brains.

I pray that one day he will get busted and we'll see this 8stone tweaker fag with spores all over his face and a transsexual mountain goat chained to his bed he sucks off every night religiously to go to sleep.

He won't spike his meth with fent. He's not quantik. But he will taint it with baby goat semen.


[1 Points] 180K:

Good sleuthing!


[-4 Points] Ethwolf:

I still find this soo funny because everyone always bashed AB.