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| Ross Ulbricht: Silk Road creator convicted on drugs charges | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The man accused of operating Silk Road, a deep web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold, has been found guilty. | The man accused of operating Silk Road, a deep web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold, has been found guilty. |
| Ross Ulbricht, 30, was convicted by a Manhattan jury on all seven counts including narcotics and money laundering conspiracies. | Ross Ulbricht, 30, was convicted by a Manhattan jury on all seven counts including narcotics and money laundering conspiracies. |
| Prosecutors said more than a million drug deals took place on Silk Road, earning Ulbricht about $18m in Bitcoins | Prosecutors said more than a million drug deals took place on Silk Road, earning Ulbricht about $18m in Bitcoins |
| His defence lawyers had argued he was framed for much of the site's activity and had quit the site. | His defence lawyers had argued he was framed for much of the site's activity and had quit the site. |
| The jury deliberated less than day before handing down the verdict. | The jury deliberated less than day before handing down the verdict. |
| Ulbricht faces up to life in prison on the charges. | Ulbricht faces up to life in prison on the charges. |
| "Ulbricht's arrest and conviction - and our seizure of millions of dollars of Silk Road Bitcoins - should send a clear message to anyone else attempting to operate an online criminal enterprise," US Attorney Preet Bharara said a statement. | "Ulbricht's arrest and conviction - and our seizure of millions of dollars of Silk Road Bitcoins - should send a clear message to anyone else attempting to operate an online criminal enterprise," US Attorney Preet Bharara said a statement. |
| "The supposed anonymity of the dark web is not a protective shield from arrest and prosecution." | "The supposed anonymity of the dark web is not a protective shield from arrest and prosecution." |
| Defence lawyer Joshua Dratel argued in closing statements that Ulbricht had started Silk Road but quit soon after creating it. | Defence lawyer Joshua Dratel argued in closing statements that Ulbricht had started Silk Road but quit soon after creating it. |
| The trial had heard that Ulbricht was the "perfect fall guy" for the true owners of the website. | The trial had heard that Ulbricht was the "perfect fall guy" for the true owners of the website. |
| But Assistant US Attorney Serrin Turner argued Ulbricht was willing to do anything to protect Silk Road. | But Assistant US Attorney Serrin Turner argued Ulbricht was willing to do anything to protect Silk Road. |
| Emails showed a man willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on contracted killings to remove threats from the operation, the lawyer said. | Emails showed a man willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on contracted killings to remove threats from the operation, the lawyer said. |
| Ulbricht was arrested in October 2013 and had pleaded not guilty to seven charges of narcotics trafficking, criminal enterprise, computer hacking and money laundering. | Ulbricht was arrested in October 2013 and had pleaded not guilty to seven charges of narcotics trafficking, criminal enterprise, computer hacking and money laundering. |
| When the verdict was announced, his father dropped his head in his hands and his mother left the courtroom complaining that the defence had been barred from producing evidence that would help her son. | When the verdict was announced, his father dropped his head in his hands and his mother left the courtroom complaining that the defence had been barred from producing evidence that would help her son. |