Part 8/11:
However, the prosecution painted a different picture: Ulbricht orchestrated a massive underground network handling $1.2 billion worth of drugs and illicit services. Evidence included his enmeshed chats discussing hits, scams, and blackmail, as well as Bitcoin transactions for murder-for-hire—though later revealed as scams rather than actual violence.
The defense’s claims of a social experiment and shared responsibility were met with skepticism. Ultimately, Ulbricht was convicted of multiple charges—including conspiracy to traffic narcotics, computer hacking, and money laundering—and was sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years without parole, a punishment many consider excessively harsh.