

CEO of Bitcoin exchange found dead in Singapore - gs7
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/ceo-of-bitcoin-exchange-found-dead-in-singapore/2014/03/06/7649bc60-a4f3-11e3-b865-38b254d92063_story.html?hpid=z4

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lucaspiller
This (local) article covers it a bit better than the Washington Post:

[http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-
news/singapore/story/bo...](http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-
news/singapore/story/boss-virtual-currency-exchange-first-meta-found-dead-
cantonment-close-)

First Meta isn't actually a Bitcoin exchange, but they accept Bitcoin as a
payment method.

~~~
sciguy77
Wow that really changes the story. Putting "Bitcoin Exchange" in the title
strongly implies that the recent disaster could have been a motive for her
death. The fact that BTC is just another payment method for her company means
something entirely different. Thank you for sharing this.

~~~
smtddr
If she accepted payment in bitcoin isn't it possible that she had a bunch of
bitcoins in MtGox?

~~~
nikcub
Someone posted the following on Secret[0]:

> I put 1MM of our startup's cash into mt.gox and it's lost 80% of its value.
> I haven't told my cofounder or vcs yet

There was some speculation it might be the same person.

[0] [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhTAf--
CYAEtSNf.jpg](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhTAf--CYAEtSNf.jpg)

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mikecane
Depression is mentioned. As I'm sure everyone else here will say: _There is no
shame in getting help for that._

~~~
Consultant32452
Whether or not there is shame in getting help for your depression is cultural.
Saying so on a hackernews post doesn't change the reality on the ground for
any potential viewer in, for example, Japan or China.

~~~
judk
Getting help may mean adjusting location to a less shameful community. With
Internet communities and now the beginnings of Internet medical care, this
might not even require geographic changes.

~~~
jevinskie
Are you suggesting people struggling with major depression move to a different
country?

~~~
amputect
It was a little front-loaded, but the phrase "this might not even require
geographic changes." at the end of his reply implies that it's less "move to a
better country" and more "stop hanging around with people who damage your
mental health and/or shame you for seeking help". This is very good advice,
and following it in the past probably saved my life.

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kevcampb
Can we clarify the exchange on this please, to avoid the linkbait, esp given
the just posted newsweek article.

~~~
67726e
Satoshi isn't the CEO of any exchange. How would one relate this to the
Newsweek article?

~~~
jader201
I don't follow the multiples of Bitcoin articles that show up on HN daily, but
both the Newsweek and this article caught my attention, and I was not clear on
the founder vs. CEO separation.

Considering both of these are on the first page right now, I think it's easy
for some of us to get our wires crossed, and am glad this clarification was
made.

~~~
higherpurpose
"Founder of Bitcoin" is not the same as "founder of Bitcoin exchange". It's
like saying the founder of the dollar is the same as the founder of Bank of
America.

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tjaerv
Rick Falkvinge mentioned this earlier as one of ostensibly two Mt.Gox-linked
suicides so far:

[http://falkvinge.net/2014/02/28/the-gox-crater-crowd-
detecti...](http://falkvinge.net/2014/02/28/the-gox-crater-crowd-detectives-
reveal-billion-dollar-heist-as-inside-job/)

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GreaterFool
I'm tired of seeing these articles. Yes, suicide is a sad story. No, the
company wasn't a Bitcoin exchange. Would it make headlines over and over if
the story read "CEO of a company that accepts Bitcoins as a payment method
found dead"?

~~~
wehadfun
It looks like an exchange.

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ColdHawaiian
This story was also submitted to HN here[1] and here[2].

[1]:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7352175](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7352175)

[2]:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7351374](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7351374)

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brador
I just watched a video from her a few days ago on exchanges and fraud...I'll
get the link if anyone wants it.

Edit -
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVxRmvipVY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVxRmvipVY)

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d0ne
I knew Autumn years ago. She was a brilliant individual with a deep connection
to those around her. This is a loss of a tremendously capable, and
compassionate, human being.

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JimmaDaRustla
No reference to what exchange she worked for. Oh journalism...

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Joeboy
FTA:

> Radtke’s company, First Meta, said it was "shocked and saddened by the
> tragic loss."

> First Meta allows users of virtual currencies such as bitcoin to trade and
> cash out the currencies. It is one of several such exchanges.

Maybe journalism isn't the problem here?

~~~
JimmaDaRustla
Looks like the disfigured website and possible content filtering physically
blocked or skewed the site before. I see that now, thanks for the correction.

FYI: Counted 37 <iframes>

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throwwit
eerily just remembered Shane Todd
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Shane_Todd](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Shane_Todd)

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michaelbuddy
did she have a small child in a carrier in one photo. that's really sad about
this.

