For someone to say they are ok with Silk Road and what appear to be
   genuine attempts to hire killers, proven instances of

   ???? Did you miss my last reply?  The link you posted had to use a
   private conversation as evidence since there was no trade records of
   such things, and the prosecutor admitted there was no indication
   killers were actually hired.

   My understanding is the crime is *attempting* to have someone killed,
   whether or not it's carried out.  Everything seems to suggest he
   felt Blake Krokoff was a real person, and wanted him killed, and was
   offering payment to do so.  Thankfully whoever "Blake Krokoff" actually
   is did a good job covering his tracks, but there's no reason to think
   that Ulbricht didn't genuinely want him dead.

   the sale of hard narcotics, and the

   To be clear here, the person in prison did not sell narcotics, right?
   They provided a platform for general trade, where others sold
   narcotics.

   He profited from them by taking a transaction fee, so yes, he was
   selling narcotics in every legal, moral, and semantic sense.

   widespread platform for money laundering and tax evasion -- is kind of
   to say they are a

   ???? Bitcoin already exists and people are finally realising it doesn't
   make anything private.  Ross Ulbricht didn't invent bitcoin.

   Fair point, but he's not being imprisoned for the existence of Bitcoin.
   He's being imprisoned for selling narcotics, personally avoiding taxes,
   and attempting to have people killed.
   -david