Former DEA Agent Carl Force Handed 6 1/2 Year Prison Sentence

Former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Carl Force IV has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for alleged fraud perpetrated during the Silk Road investigation and other Bitcoin Bitcoin While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that Read this Term-related crimes.

Silk Road was the largest online marketplace for drugs and other illegal merchandise. Bitcoin was the common currency. The site was taken down roughly two years ago and its alleged mastermind, Ross Ulbricht (DPR), was sentenced to life in prison in May this year.

On July 1, Force pleaded guilty to charges of extortion, money laundering and obstruction of justice.

While part of the Baltimore-based task force, Force posed as ‘French Maid’ and offered Silk Road administrator Dread Pirate Roberts (DPR) information on the investigation in exchange for bitcoins. He also posed as a drug dealer and offered to sell DPR information from a corrupt Justice Department employee. He did make the DEA aware of his conversations, but claimed that no Payments Payments One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl Read this Term were made. He then allegedly transferred the funds to personal accounts.

Outside of the Silk Road investigation, he allegedly sent a fake subpoena to mobile payments company Venmo, which had frozen his account due to suspicious activity. In addition, he allegedly abused his credentials to threaten bitcoin exchange Bitstamp, which had also frozen his funds.

He also managed to become an investor/compliance officer with crypto exchange CoinMKT, where he ordered the funds in one account to be frozen for suspicious activity. He then had the funds transferred to his personal account.

Force also planned on contacting Twenty-First Century Fox to make a movie about Silk Road. He would have received $240,000 in the deal.

Shortly after pleading guilty in the summer, Force was ordered to forfeit roughly $500,000 in the first stage of his sentencing.

The sentence was dealt by Judge Richard Seeborg in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Prosecutors had sought a 7-year term because Force betrayed public trust, jeopardized the Silk Road investigation and perpetrated his crimes consistently and repeatedly. Force's attorney, Ivan Bates, sought a 2-year sentence. "There’s no doubt he’s going to jail. He's lost his career. He's lost his marriage, he’s lost everything he’s had. He’ll always have a life sentence because of the mental health issues he has," he argued.

Force is one of two federal agents who were charged with stealing bitcoins during the Silk Road investigation. The other, former Secret Service agent Shaun Bridges, pleaded guilty at the end of August. He is accused of embezzling $820,000 worth of bitcoin. His sentencing is scheduled for December.

Ulbricht supporters, among others, argue that the agents' convictions show that the Silk Road investigation and trial were unlawfully conducted. Ulbricht's attorney, Joshua Dratel, stated that he plans on appealing the case.