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Comment by macrael | Hacker News Reader

"On or about October 7, 2013, the HSI-UC [the undercover agent] was invited to join a newly created discussion forum on the Tor network, concerning the potential creation of a replacement for the Silk Road 1.0 website. The next day, on or about October 8, 2013, the persons operating the forum gave the HSI-UC moderator privileges, enabling the HSI-UC to access areas of the forum available only to forum staff."

They were compromised from day 1, before the 2.0 site had even launched. I wonder how they managed to be a trusted admin so quickly?

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That sounds like the FBI had already infiltrated the Silk Road 1.0 community so they were invited into 2.0 at the beginning.

That might have the most chilling effect on a 3.0.

WANTED: rockstar programmer for new e-commerce startup. still in stealth mode, but think silk road with less php and more rails. bitcoin experience/enthusiasm a plus. message for details. no feds please.

Better watch out, law enforcement isn't exactly known for their sense of humour.

Don't worry, I'll be conducting interviews on the StartupBus. http://www.wired.com/2013/03/a-long-fast-road-to-the-next-bi... (check photo credits)

Yep, this is how you know you live in a -democracy- dictatorship.

Not that I'm personally worried about the FBI, but if I were? Living in fear that you'll get busted for making a lame joke isn't living. Whatever happened to all the grand talk of civil disobedience and standing up to the man? Instead we've got people on the "good side" going around saying "don't talk like that." The man doesn't even need to bother oppressing speech when you're doing it for them.

Perhaps, but that kind of joke gets made all the time on the Internet without bringing down black helicopters.

I made a joke like that on Slashdot once and the black helicopters did show up. Well, the Secret Service, anyway.

You satirically quoted an imaginary job posting and Secret Service showed up? That sucks, I guess we need to close down Duffel Blog and The Onion then.

Or you know, he did a SLIGHT VARIATION of the "imaginary job posting", an "imaginary something else" but equally imaginary and tongue-in-cheek...

Yes, I'm sure that his "not actually the same as the joke we're talking about" joke was a mere slight variation. Maybe the Secret Service guy missed the (+5: Funny), I'm sure that happens to the best of us sometimes.

Yeah, because secret service and/or cops are known to have a great sense of humor and enough understanding of the Web (including Slashdot trivia).

Care to expand on that?

Story time?

You shouldn't tell people that what they say might bring the attention of law enforcement - that counts as secondary liability.

HSI refers to Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Not to say it wasn't a joint effort with FBI, but it was an HSI undercover.

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