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this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2025
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TechTakes
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Big brain tech dude got yet another clueless take over at HackerNews etc? Here's the place to vent. Orange site, VC foolishness, all welcome.
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Somehow, Ross Ulbricht returned
You gotta love how in the announcement the guy is so blatantly "hey they said and did such nice things for me that I just got a throw them a bone, and if releasing the leader of a notorious drug bazaar who tried to put out a hit on one of his employees is what they want then they can have it!"
Sidenote: AFAIK, even with this pardon, Ulbricht still ended up spending more time in prison than if he took a plea deal he was reportedly offered:
Gotta say, this whole situation's reminding me of SBF - both of them thought they could outsmart the Feds, and both received much harsher sentences than rich white collar criminals usually get as a result.
Wonder when his pardon clears.
Not really sure if he thought he was smart or got bad legal advice from coiners who figured he could get off scot-free because "crypto" and "harm reduction"
Probably both tbh. It really is like SBF round 1, but because it's drugs instead of financial crimes they didn't need to hire Margot Robbie to explain why it's illegal and destructive to everyone from her bath.
Ulbricht also had really bad lawyers. The FBI evidence on the server in Iceland was tainted in fairly obvious ways and he coulda got much of the case thrown out, then just ... didn't? I can't find it, but Nicholas Weaver wrote some stuff on this.
Ah yes that will be good for international relations and the morale of law enforcement and anti cybercrime people. Lol it is all so stupid.
This and the releasing of the jan 6 people who assaulted cops (one cop who testified against them got a shitton of messages they got early release) is going to do wonders. Not that it will shake the belief of a lot of people that the repubs are the party of back the blue and law and order.