Coinbase vs. US Government

bartosimpsonio

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https://blog.coinbase.com/2016/11/18/protecting-customer-privacy/

Our customers may be aware that the U.S. government filed a civil petition yesterday in federal court seeking disclosure of all Coinbase U.S. customers' records over a three year period. The government has not alleged any wrongdoing on the part of Coinbase and its petition is predicated on sweeping statements that taxpayers may use virtual currency to evade taxes.

Although Coinbase's general practice is to cooperate with properly targeted law enforcement inquiries, we are extremely concerned with the indiscriminate breadth of the government's request. Our customers’ privacy rights are important to us and our legal team is in the process of examining the government's petition. In its current form, we will oppose the government’s petition in court. We will continue to keep our customers informed on developments in this matter.
 
Which comes after this: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/business/dealbook/irs-is-seeking-tax-evaders-who-use-bitcoin.html?_r=0
Bitcoin Users Who Evade Taxes Are Sought by the I.R.S.

No way to run away from Uncle Sam huh?
 
How is the IRS going to catch people evading taxes using Bitcoin? That's pretty hard to do.

They're trying to get all Coinbase's user IDs for audit.... They're going after the "Bitcoin banks" and from there they wanna get to the user.
 
They're trying to get all Coinbase's user IDs for audit.... They're going after the "Bitcoin banks" and from there they wanna get to the user.
All BTC transactions are open to public. And it can be trace if efforts are invested. Look at the shut down of silkroads.
Yeah, but tumbling stops all that from happening. If you use a virgin wallet and tumble to a virgin wallet, then it's untraceable unless you're putting in 100x as much money as everybody else.
 
Silkroad only got shut down due to the owners mistakes.

If he did everything right he would still be free.

IIRC there were FBI agents from Florida (I think?) who physically tracked down one of the guys, who was suspicious of these agents to the point they had to get into the business with him. Some speculated it was entrapment. I don't know if I am thinking of the right case, but I do recall the Silkroad takedown was quite the movie script.
 
IIRC there were FBI agents from Florida (I think?) who physically tracked down one of the guys, who was suspicious of these agents to the point they had to get into the business with him. Some speculated it was entrapment. I don't know if I am thinking of the right case, but I do recall the Silkroad takedown was quite the movie script.
They did a chronological Google search for the onion address, traced it to a blogger account attached to his real identity, and then tackled the guy in a library while his computer was on. Elementary stuff.

But Hollwood can make anything amazing :)
 
If you are interested in the Silkroad story I highly recommend the below story. Its really interesting.

https://www.wired.com/2015/04/silk-road-1/
https://www.wired.com/2015/05/silk-road-2/
 
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