The FBI announced today through a press release that they arrested the architect of Silk Road, from the statement http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/man ... or-adviser
CLARK, WHO WENT BY THE ONLINE NICKNAMES “VARIETY JONES,” “VJ,” “CIMON,” AND “PLURAL OF MONGOOSE,” WAS DESCRIBED BY ULBRICHT AS A TRUSTED “MENTOR,” WHO REGULARLY ADVISED HIM ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SILK ROAD ENTERPRISE. AMONG OTHER THINGS, CLARK COUNSELED ULBRICHT ON THE IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION OF SILK ROAD’S TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING HELPING ULBRICHT HIRE AND MANAGE A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER TO ASSIST WITH THESE PROJECTS. CLARK ALSO HELPED ULBRICHT DEVELOP AND ENFORCE THE RULES GOVERNING HOW SILK ROAD VENDORS AND USERS COULD DO BUSINESS ON THE SITE, WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE THE COMMISSIONS THAT ULBRICHT RECEIVED FROM SILK ROAD SALES. CLARK FURTHER ADVISED ULBRICHT ON HOW TO CONCEAL HIS INVOLVEMENT IN, AND HIDE HIS PROFITS FROM, THE OPERATION OF SILK ROAD, INCLUDING HELPING ULBRICHT DEVISE COVER STORIES TO TELL OTHERS AND MAKE PLANS TO OBTAIN FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP AND OFFSHORE BANK ACCOUNTS. FINALLY, CLARK ALSO ADVISED ULBRICHT ON TACTICS TO THWART EFFORTS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO INVESTIGATE SILK ROAD. IN THAT VEIN, CLARK REPEATEDLY ADVOCATED THE USE OF INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE TO KEEP MEMBERS OF THE SILK ROAD SUPPORT STAFF FROM COOPERATING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. IN ONE SUCH CONVERSATION, IN WHICH CLARK AND ULBRICHT DISCUSSED “TRACK[ING] DOWN” A CERTAIN SILK ROAD EMPLOYEE TO ENSURE THAT HE HAD NOT GONE “[O]FF THE RAILS,” CLARK COMMENTED, “[D]UDE, WE’RE CRIMINAL DRUG DEALERS – WHAT LINE SHOULDN’T WE CROSS?”
Clark is a 54-year-old Canadian man living in Thailand who is being arrested by the Americans for supposed crimes done years ago. The long arm of Uncle Sam is unforgiving.
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