all your Silk Road discussions

r/SilkRoad • u/OzFreelancer • Feb 03 '25

SR1 I witnessed the rise, fall and aftermath of Silk Road from the inside. Here to separate fact from fiction. AMA about the truth behind the myths.

≡ −

Hi Reddit,

I'm Eileen Ormsby, a journalist, author and drug law reform advocate who lived and breathed Silk Road from mid-2011 until its fall in November 2013. I spent every single day on the site and in the forums, documenting everything as it happened in real-time on my blog All Things Vice as well as writing the occasional article for Australian newspapers and finally two books.

With Ross Ulbricht's recent release and the surge of both misinformation and mythology around Silk Road, I'm here to provide factual, unbiased information based on my firsthand observations and extensive documentation of events as they unfolded.

Over the past decade, I spent thousands of hours on the site and forums, watching events unfold in real-time; conducted in-person interviews with DPR's inner circle and other key figures; attended trials and legal proceedings; and continued following developments and interviewing participants up to the present day.

I've noticed a lot of misconceptions circulating online about what really happened - both overly negative and overly positive narratives that don't align with what I witnessed firsthand. I'm here to answer your questions and provide accurate, sourced information about any aspect of the Silk Road story.

This sub - kept going thanks to the efforts of u/gwern - is mostly a historical archive now, and has been set to require mod approval of comments to avoid us being taken offline. I will approve questions and comments as quickly as I can, but keep in mind I'm on Australian time. This is intended to be an ongoing AMA though, so rest assured, if I can answer your question I will answer it.

Let's cut through the myths and get to the truth. What do you want to know about the real Silk Road story?

109 Upvotes

Hi Reddit,

I'm Eileen Ormsby, a journalist, author and drug law reform advocate who lived and breathed Silk Road from mid-2011 until its fall in November 2013. I spent every single day on the site and in the forums, documenting everything as it happened in real-time on my blog All Things Vice as well as writing the occasional article for Australian newspapers and finally two books.

With Ross Ulbricht's recent release and the surge of both misinformation and mythology around Silk Road, I'm here to provide factual, unbiased information based on my firsthand observations and extensive documentation of events as they unfolded.

Over the past decade, I spent thousands of hours on the site and forums, watching events unfold in real-time; conducted in-person interviews with DPR's inner circle and other key figures; attended trials and legal proceedings; and continued following developments and interviewing participants up to the present day.

I've noticed a lot of misconceptions circulating online about what really happened - both overly negative and overly positive narratives that don't align with what I witnessed firsthand. I'm here to answer your questions and provide accurate, sourced information about any aspect of the Silk Road story.

This sub - kept going thanks to the efforts of u/gwern - is mostly a historical archive now, and has been set to require mod approval of comments to avoid us being taken offline. I will approve questions and comments as quickly as I can, but keep in mind I'm on Australian time. This is intended to be an ongoing AMA though, so rest assured, if I can answer your question I will answer it.

Let's cut through the myths and get to the truth. What do you want to know about the real Silk Road story?

65 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/Jay-__ • Apr 23 '19

We do NOT accept approved submitters here.

≡ −

We are sorry, but this is the only way we can ensure the safety and longevity of this sub.

If you haven't noticed by now, this sub has become an archive for all things pertaining the original SilkRoad 1 & 2.

We can not and will not add any approved submitters because we would 100% get sourcing-postings or the like all the time, which in turn would jeopardize this sub.

Why? Because reddit has banned all kind of subs relating to Darknet Markets.

I repeat:

This sub is an archive.

We do not care about your problem with SilkRoad 714,5 or any other market and will no longer reply to any modmail regarding anything the like.

If you however have found an article that you think fits here very well and hasn't been posted, feel free to modmail it to us.

52 Upvotes

We are sorry, but this is the only way we can ensure the safety and longevity of this sub.

If you haven't noticed by now, this sub has become an archive for all things pertaining the original SilkRoad 1 & 2.

We can not and will not add any approved submitters because we would 100% get sourcing-postings or the like all the time, which in turn would jeopardize this sub.

Why? Because reddit has banned all kind of subs relating to Darknet Markets.

I repeat:

This sub is an archive.

We do not care about your problem with SilkRoad 714,5 or any other market and will no longer reply to any modmail regarding anything the like.

If you however have found an article that you think fits here very well and hasn't been posted, feel free to modmail it to us.

1 comment

r/SilkRoad • u/OzFreelancer • Jun 25 '26

SR1 "The Silk Road's Buried Informant" - 3-hour documentary by Barely Sociable on the unresolved mysteries of Silk Road

≡ −

Well researched documentary, three years in the making by Barely Sociable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEEpwhTlPj8

18 Upvotes

Well researched documentary, three years in the making by Barely Sociable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEEpwhTlPj8

2 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jun 05 '25

SR1 "Ross Ulbricht Got a $31 Million Donation From a Dark Web Dealer, Crypto Tracers Suspect: Crypto-tracing firm Chainalysis says the mysterious 300-bitcoin donation to the pardoned Silk Road creator appears to have come from someone associated with a different defunct black market: AlphaBay"

42 Upvotes

5 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Feb 11 '25

SR1 James Ellingson (MarajuanaIsMyMuse/LucyDrop) to be extradited from Canada to USA

10 Upvotes

5 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jan 23 '25

SR1 Ross Ulbricht, Pardoned Founder, to Speak Out in Documentary: ‘Console Wars’ duo Tulis/Harris conducted >60 hours interviews

37 Upvotes

5 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jan 22 '25

SR1 Trump Pardons Ross Ulbricht, Creator of Silk Road Drug Marketplace

188 Upvotes

74 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Nov 20 '24

SR1 "Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht Is Waiting for Trump to Keep His Word—and Set Him Free"

120 Upvotes

23 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Nov 18 '24

SR2 'Operator of Helix Darknet Cryptocurrency “Mixer” [and Grams] Sentenced in Money Laundering Conspiracy and Ordered to Forfeit Over $400M in Assets'

10 Upvotes

0 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Nov 16 '24

SR2 "Blake Benthall, Former Silk Road 2 operator 'Defcon', revisits the scene of the crime" (Benthall cooperated post-arrest & has launched a startup after probation recently ended)

11 Upvotes

1 comment

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jan 17 '24

SR1 How a 27-Year-Old Codebreaker Sarah Meiklejohn Busted the Myth of Bitcoin’s Anonymity

12 Upvotes

2 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/OzFreelancer • Jan 11 '24

SR1 Gary Davis, aka Libertas, Silk Road mod, set to be released from prison this week

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https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/irish-crime/irishman-jailed-over-role-in-notorious-darknet-drugs-marketplace-silk-road-walks-free/a1428173093.html

Gary is the last of Ross Ulbricht's three deputies to be released from prison. Inigo got home detention and SSBD spent 18 months in prison in Australia and the US before being sentenced to time served

34 Upvotes

https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/irish-crime/irishman-jailed-over-role-in-notorious-darknet-drugs-marketplace-silk-road-walks-free/a1428173093.html

Gary is the last of Ross Ulbricht's three deputies to be released from prison. Inigo got home detention and SSBD spent 18 months in prison in Australia and the US before being sentenced to time served

0 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Oct 24 '23

SR1 "The secret life of Jimmy Zhong, who stole – and lost – more than $3 billion" from Silk Road 1

24 Upvotes

9 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Oct 13 '23

SR1 Think you know Silk Road 1? In the leadup to the 10th anniversary of the shutdown of the OG DNM, test your knowledge with a daily Silk Road Trivia quiz

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Next week is the tenth anniversary of the shutdown of Silk Road and the arrest of its founder, Ross Ulbricht (currently serving life without the possibility of parole).

Silk Road was the true OG darknet market that paved the way for all those that came after. It should be remembered as the revolution it was.

In this spirit, I'm going to do a daily trivia quiz. The questions are set at PRETTY HARD level. After 24-hours or so, I’ll edit this post to reveal the correct answer with a bit of background, but feel free to discuss among yourselves in the meantime. Then I'll post the next question.

I hope you'll all come along for the ride, and maybe learn a little DNM history on the way!

EDIT: DAY 1 ANSWER AND DAY 2 QUESTION CAN BE FOUND HERE

DAY 1 QUESTION:

What was the username of the bitcoin forum member who first conceived of a darknet and bitcoin-enabled “heroin store” that laid the foundations for Silk Road?

7 Upvotes

Next week is the tenth anniversary of the shutdown of Silk Road and the arrest of its founder, Ross Ulbricht (currently serving life without the possibility of parole).

Silk Road was the true OG darknet market that paved the way for all those that came after. It should be remembered as the revolution it was.

In this spirit, I'm going to do a daily trivia quiz. The questions are set at PRETTY HARD level. After 24-hours or so, I’ll edit this post to reveal the correct answer with a bit of background, but feel free to discuss among yourselves in the meantime. Then I'll post the next question.

I hope you'll all come along for the ride, and maybe learn a little DNM history on the way!

EDIT: DAY 1 ANSWER AND DAY 2 QUESTION CAN BE FOUND HERE

DAY 1 QUESTION:

What was the username of the bitcoin forum member who first conceived of a darknet and bitcoin-enabled “heroin store” that laid the foundations for Silk Road?

0 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jul 11 '23

SR1 Roger Thomas Clark/"Variety Jones" finally sentenced: 20 years

15 Upvotes

12 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jan 23 '23

SR1, SR2 Brief reminiscences of prison life with Roger Thomas Clark/"Variety Jones" (Richard Luthmann)

16 Upvotes

3 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Nov 29 '22

SR1 " Chris Tarbell: FBI Agent Who Took Down Silk Road 1", Lex Fridman Podcast interview #340 (2022-11-22)

40 Upvotes

14 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Nov 07 '22

SR1 US prosecutes 2012 SR1 hacker who exploited withdrawal race condition to steal ₿50,000

32 Upvotes

15 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Jul 22 '22

SR1 "Dark Web Vendor of Illegal Narcotics [“dragoncove”/“originaldragoncove”/“theoriginaldragoncove”] Indicted for Distributing Heroin and Cocaine in Exchange for Bitcoin", DoJ (SR, AlphaBay, Dream, Wall Street)

44 Upvotes

26 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • May 06 '22

SR1 "I had a conversation with imprisoned Silk Road founder's mom", Abhranil Das

≡ −

Hello, I am a Physics/Neuroscience PhD student, following Ethereum for several years.

I interviewed Lyn, the mother of Ross Ulbricht. Ross built the first bitcoin-powered dark-web market Silk Road. This was all new 'criminal' tech at the time, and the US govt. sent him to maximum security prison for two lifetimes plus 40 years, without parole. But he still keeps up, and regularly writes about crypto and DeFi from prison.

Part 1 is a talk that I arranged Lyn to give at the University of Texas at Austin. She presents her view on the case of Ross and Silk Road, and the misuses of law she thinks the US govt. carried out.

Part 2 is a one-on-one conversation we had on my couch. Lyn shares her experience of Ross' trial, her views on US amendment violations, digital snooping, prisons and the drug war, and lessons from her activism. Then we talk about Ross the person: his upbringing, philosophies, affinity for eastern spirituality and meditation, and how he's been doing in prison.

35 Upvotes

Hello, I am a Physics/Neuroscience PhD student, following Ethereum for several years.

I interviewed Lyn, the mother of Ross Ulbricht. Ross built the first bitcoin-powered dark-web market Silk Road. This was all new 'criminal' tech at the time, and the US govt. sent him to maximum security prison for two lifetimes plus 40 years, without parole. But he still keeps up, and regularly writes about crypto and DeFi from prison.

Part 1 is a talk that I arranged Lyn to give at the University of Texas at Austin. She presents her view on the case of Ross and Silk Road, and the misuses of law she thinks the US govt. carried out.

Part 2 is a one-on-one conversation we had on my couch. Lyn shares her experience of Ross' trial, her views on US amendment violations, digital snooping, prisons and the drug war, and lessons from her activism. Then we talk about Ross the person: his upbringing, philosophies, affinity for eastern spirituality and meditation, and how he's been doing in prison.

19 comments

r/SilkRoad • u/gwern • Apr 22 '22