"On or about October 7, 2013, the HSI-UC [the undercover agent] was invited to join a newly created discussion forum on the Tor network, concerning the potential creation of a replacement for the Silk Road 1.0 website. The next day, on or about October 8, 2013, the persons operating the forum gave the HSI-UC moderator privileges, enabling the HSI-UC to access areas of the forum available only to forum staff."
They were compromised from day 1, before the 2.0 site had even launched. I wonder how they managed to be a trusted admin so quickly?
HSI refers to Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Not to say it wasn't a joint effort with FBI, but it was an HSI undercover.
WANTED: rockstar programmer for new e-commerce startup. still in stealth mode, but think silk road with less php and more rails. bitcoin experience/enthusiasm a plus. message for details. no feds please.
You satirically quoted an imaginary job posting and Secret Service showed up? That sucks, I guess we need to close down Duffel Blog and The Onion then.
Yes, I'm sure that his "not actually the same as the joke we're talking about" joke was a mere slight variation. Maybe the Secret Service guy missed the (+5: Funny), I'm sure that happens to the best of us sometimes.
Not that I'm personally worried about the FBI, but if I were? Living in fear that you'll get busted for making a lame joke isn't living. Whatever happened to all the grand talk of civil disobedience and standing up to the man? Instead we've got people on the "good side" going around saying "don't talk like that." The man doesn't even need to bother oppressing speech when you're doing it for them.
They were compromised from day 1, before the 2.0 site had even launched. I wonder how they managed to be a trusted admin so quickly?