
Bitcoin’s ‘First Felon’ Faces More Legal Trouble - ilamont
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/technology/bitcoin-charlie-shrem-winklevoss-twins.html
======
apsec112
Ahhhh, yes, I remember Mr. Shrem. He acquired my Bitcoin company in 2012, we
signed an acquisition contract and everything, and then he just never paid me
and threatened me when I tried to collect (it was a five-figure sum). And to
think I'd even helped him with his college math homework.

~~~
delinka
I’m hoping the contract’s execution was contingent on payment being received
by you.

~~~
nathancahill
If only there was a currency that allowed that..

~~~
concam
Good luck trying to code a few hundred years of common law into a smart
contract.

~~~
fouc
Start with one step. Then take another. Step by step. Be not daunted.

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krupan
He wrote a "Geek in Prison" series that was interesting:

[https://medium.com/@cshrem](https://medium.com/@cshrem)

~~~
Scoundreller
> Throughout the day I kept checking the computer to see if the funds she
> added through Western Union were available yet.

This wait must have torn him apart.

------
digianarchist
Baffles me how Mr Shrem is held up as some Bitcoin martyr by those in the
community even as late as yesterday.

Here's OpenBazaar's lead developer mentioning that Shrem went to jail because
"Bitcoin is challenging the way money works in society". Shrem went to jail
for laundering money for drug dealers. That's certainly one way of challenging
how money works in society.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL9MkOGgVAQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL9MkOGgVAQ)

The Bitcoin community seems to have trouble choosing it's spokespeople.
Remember Bruce Wagner?

[https://www.metafilter.com/107065/Bruce-Wagner-and-the-
Bitco...](https://www.metafilter.com/107065/Bruce-Wagner-and-the-Bitcoin-Scam)

------
bredren
I was invited to a house party at this guy’s place when he was under house
arrest. I said no thanks.

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will_brown
The time line suggests this might actually be barred by the statute of
limitations.

If so the case would be dismissed notwithstanding if the allegations are true.

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Matticus_Rex
Fishing expedition. The money probably isn't theirs (there are plenty of
places Charlie could have made that money since release, given what he does
and what he's been involved in), but on the off-chance it is, they may win OR
get uncomfortably close in discovery to stuff he doesn't want light on, and
he'll settle.

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maehwasu
Why the hell would he be dumb enough to buy all this stuff in the US? At least
go to a country where your assets won't get easily frozen, and where it's hard
to extradite.

What an utter moron.

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JumpCrisscross
“Over the last year, Charlie Shrem, a 28-year-old Bitcoin investor, has bought
two Maseratis, two powerboats — one of them 32 feet long — and a $2 million
house in Florida, along with smaller pieces of real estate.

...

Mr. Shrem...has said in recent interviews that he went to prison with almost
no money.”

What an idiot. Right out of jail, owes the feds hundreds of thousands of
dollars, and can’t help but conspicuously consume.

~~~
baxtr
I’m somewhat disappointed that he didn’t buy any Lambos...

~~~
dsfyu404ed
Yeah, Maseratis are the Volkswagen/Chrysler/Fiat of the super-car world.

~~~
wcarron
Well, Maserati is actually owned by Fiat/Chrysler Group. Plus, like all F/C
vehicles, they're pieces of shit. Maserati used to be nice. Now, they're sport
cars for people who want a sport car but don't know anything about said cars.

Volkswagen is actually, despite their scandals, a remarkably good quality
group. They own VW, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.

~~~
hermitdev
I own a 2013 Dodge Charger SRT (an FC brand). At $51k & 470hp out the door,
it's the best performing and cheapest muscle car in its class. It can also
seat my family of 4 comfortably. In 6 years and 42k miles, I've had zero drive
train issues. Only problems I've had are suspension (I drive on pot hole
ridden Chicago area roads) and tires worn prematurely due to bent suspension
arms.

Dont know what your experience is with FC, but that's been mine.

Edit: math on years owned.

~~~
lotsofpulp
42k miles / 6 years is a barely used car. I would expect a post year 2000 car
to go 150k, even 200k miles with no drive train problems assuming normal
conditions. Also, the stats show Fiat/Chrysler experiencing the most problems:

[https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/jd-
power-201...](https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/jd-
power-2018-us-vehicle-dependability-study)

[https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-
releases/2017-vehicle...](https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-
releases/2017-vehicle-dependability-study)

[https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2016-us-
vehi...](https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2016-us-vehicle-
dependability-study-vds)

[https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-
releases/2015-vehicle...](https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-
releases/2015-vehicle-dependability-study)

Pretty consistently at the bottom year after year.

------
gammateam
I think it is a major flaw to assume someone's conspicuous consumption is from
YOUR money.

This man has been in crypto for 8 years

Anyone that was there for the last 15 months could have made enough FROM
SCRATCH to buy those things just trading. I've had hundreds of dollars of DUST
in exchanges and wallets that I rediscovered were worth 6 figures, and at some
points 7 figures if had checked. Even if the government had frozen some of my
assets in connection with blah blah blah, I'd still have this stuff.

Add in advisory roles, salaries, the conference circuit, you might as well
just fire your lawyer for coming up with that children's tale, and just stick
to why someone might owe you money not "and here's proof they're the bad guy
we must stop him NAO!"

~~~
sjg007
His problem is that he said he was bankrupt when he went to prison. Not sure
if he declared bankruptcy but...

~~~
gammateam
Oh right, because saying "your are bankrupt" or actually declaring bankruptcy
means permanently broke and living in public housing or under a bridge.

According to your story of events he would have had to say this in early 2015.
He has been C-level at a hedge fund just a few months after getting out of
prison in mid 2016.

And of course thats not how bankruptcy works at all.

This story is for extremely gullible and naive people, in order to try and get
a summary judgement.

~~~
JumpCrisscross
> _because saying "your are bankrupt" or actually declaring bankruptcy means
> permanently broke and living in public housing or under a bridge_

Mr. Shrem has "not paid the government $950,000 in restitution that he agreed
to as part of his 2014 guilty plea" [1]. It's reasonable to expect him to not
be purchasing "two Maseratis, two powerboats — one of them 32 feet long — and
a $2 million house in Florida" while simultaneously launching "various
partnerships...that had to give money back to investors" just a year out of
jail.

[1] [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/technology/bitcoin-
charli...](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/technology/bitcoin-charlie-
shrem-winklevoss-twins.html)

~~~
gammateam
oops, he should borrow against those and pay the government.

