At the time of his arrest, he was actually in the possession of about 144,000 bitcoin, valued at about 100 dollars per bitcoin at the time. Now, that bitcoin would be worth about 8 billion dollars. He would be one of the richest men on earth.
The world's richest drug baron technically. Just because El Chapo might have sold the odd book or car every now and then doesn't make him a legitimate business owner.
I’m Ross Ulbricht’s mother. Thank you for your thoughtful analysis. I can tell you that, despite what you may have read or heard in the media, Ross was absolutely not offered any plea deal. This is now public record. Of course he would have taken a 10-year deal.
I hope your son will get his sentence commuted. This is such an awful miscarriage of justice. "Making an example" of someone is, by definition, unlawful.
There are a lot of people, who are in some way involved in cryptocurrency that have very strong feelings that the sentence was tremendously inappropriate and unfair. Given the conduct of the investigators/prosecutors, the trial itself was unfair as was the fact that all of his pardons were denied. I am one of the people who believes these things. Do you think that clemency is at all likely? If so, is there anything that might facilitate this? Most of those concerned spend much of our time online. I am thinking primarily about things done over the Internet, such as spreading information and petitioning lawmakers to review the situation. Perhaps such attempts would be futile, or perhaps just keeping it alive people's minds would be useful. What is your opinion?
I'm so sorry Mrs Ulbricht, Ross did not deserve such a hardh sentence, he wasent treated fairly in anyway. I hope a lawyer worth their salt will take his case and help him, he should be free. He was an example and you know laws were broken to take him down and put all the blame on him. Tell him he has support.
I also feel your son's sentence was too harsh and feel for you as a mother. I'm from the UK and tired of reading about murderers or child abusers who get relatively minor sentences compared to this and then go onto reoffend. He sounds incredibly intelligent and could have put this to a better, legal use in future.
@Mo Elm the drug war is evil and all drugs should be legal. the drug war is the reason we have black markets in the first place. get your head out of your ass.
@@PhuckedUpPhilosophy Ok so legalizing drugs might solve the black market problem. What about the breakdown in the family, mental health problems, and the like caused by drug use?
@Mo Elm the Silk Road was different from other dark markets in that hitmen, credit cards, guns, etc. were all prohibited from sale. The only thing allowed to be sold were drugs & research chemicals. Moreover, he only acted as an escrow that connected buyers to sellers. You have no idea what you’re talking about
There were far worse things being sold on Silk road then mere drugs. Having said that, any of those things can also be found on Facebook. To my knowledge, Mark Zuckerberg still walks amongst us, free and richer then Jesus.
The DA offered him a very good deal and he gambled that he could beat the case, and lost. Too bad, so sad. I have no sympathy for a brilliant man with a graduate degree from a prestigious uni who does nothing better with it than peddle poison and put out hits on his embezzling employees.
I’m Sure he thought he was fighting the system. And it appears that the system won a TKO in round four but refused to stop beating him to a pulp for the next hour.
When I heard his sentence, I was think “Gee, maybe the government should hire him instead of having a mind like his rot in prison!” Interesting that it was your conclusion too. Appreciate your analysis. 💗💖💗👍🏼
what did he do that was so clever? make an ebay that sells drugs, guns and illegal shit, so smart why didn't everyone else think of it? oh yeah, that's right because they would get caught and go to prison for the rest of their life.
Underrated? The appreciation and support he's getting is well deserved. I guess he'll probably never achieve the fame of some quacks I don't need to mention, but that's because he takes the topics seriously, and isn't selling scandal and sensationalism.
@Sarah Parker Previously the channel did feature more videos that could help you learn about diagnoses, therapy, and general mental health topics (see old videos, I think some of the earliest ones even talk about scientific research) For the last year the episodes have become more focused on true crime or forensic stories, or sometimes other discussions about matters of public interest (public figures actions discussed with mental health and personality aspects explored)
But try and think of where the judge was coming from: most drug dealers get that amount. Ulbricht was making 6-7% off of billions of dollars worth of drugs transactions, meaning in practice, he was a drug dealer/trafficker x 1000 in the eyes of the US government (just because he's behind a keyboard doesn't make it any less of an offense). Yes he could do more good outside the U.S. Prison system... but that was for him to decide before he created a website to sell narcotics and arms.
@@dante6985 but isn’t that because those individuals tend to either have previous convictions or are personally involved in the drug making process themselves? It takes one hell of a criminal to become a real life kingpin , but Ross sounds like he was catapulted to the top.
@@XXXTENTAClON227 Thanks for the message. You're saying "he's a first time offender, judge him by the standards of other first time offenders" which is fair reasoning. BUT Yes, people charged with first time drug dealing offenses get lighter sentences (roughly a year in prison? Let's say?). But my thinking still stands, he profited off of $ billions of dollars worth of drug transactions (which are usually in the hundreds or thousands, at most, individually) so in the eyes of the government, he was a drug dealer x 100 (not to mention the 6 or so hit attempts, which were consolidated into the kingpin charge). He was a millionaire at the end of this, most drug dealers aren't. Whether it's 1 years x 100 or 6-7 years x 100 is kind of a moot point because in either case, it's unequivocal life in prison (Federal charges mean you spend 85% of your time, minimum.) An interesting point though.
This punishment in relation to the charges is bonkers. People get less for homicide. I’m not sure he was a hero, but he definitely didn’t deserve life w/o parole. I agree that he started with good intentions.
His sentence was retribution for making the Feds look like idiots for quite some time. He had no chance of a reasonable sentence when found guilty. Really should have taken that plea deal!
@@jonnylumberjack6223 Yes but that sends the message that one should take the plea deal even if innocent... It has happened before, yes, innocent people were given harsh sentences for not taking the plea deal and were later exonerated after a tough ordeal
maybe they could've hired the guys who flew the planes into the twin towers as pilots... if only they survived. I mean they clearly knew how to fly.... makes about as much sense as your logic.
They were only trying to make an example of him so that nobody else does anything like Silk Road. I am very much involved in a group who fights for his case to be dropped or at least his sentence commuted.
Bravo, the wrong sentence was given. . Unbelievable. Yes they should have hired him.. Reminds me of the case from Catch me if you Can, who was hired by the FBI after he kept out smarting them. What a waste of potential for this young man.
@Omniscient_ Turnip they were dropped cause he wasn’t talking to a real hitman as he thought snd was all a scam so it’s hard to really charge , fact is he thought he was ordering hits the emails are public records that you can read
@Mo Elm I COMPLETELY agree. I am surprised to some of him were defending him and some even calling him a hero! He even had people killed because of what he created. I think they belong in jail with him to be honest.
What a sad case with an unfortunate outcome. I hope Ross gets an opportunity at another appeal soon and is victorious, or a pardon. I had never heard of this case before, I appreciate your compassion towards Mr. Ulbricht.
Why, do you like a bad boy? He got what he deserved. That little weasel tried to have five people murdered. He didn't have the balls to go do it himself.
If you've never heard of this case before, I suggest you do some more research. The families destroyed by this guy and his undercovered business are heartbreaking.
I don't think he should've gotten such a harsh sentence for running silk road, but I DO however think he should've been convicted of conspiring to murder that one guy. He sent bitcoin to someone he thought was a gang member to order an execution, luckily it was all a scam but still, he had intended to have someone kill.
Swartz was tragically and unnecessarily persecuted by the government. His ideals and actions truly were for the greater good and not for any monetary gain. His family was also stalked and harassed by the FBI.
Wow.. I agree with you 100% with the sentencing being way too harsh, especially when so many others commit really heinous crimes, then just get 10 years or less. Amazing video Dr. Grande!! Love how healthy those bright little cacti are looking! 😊
That’s the public story. Who knows what sort of illegal snooping they did. They didn’t give a damn about his 4th amendment rights. We already know they broke laws in order to swipe his Bitcoin, who knows what else they did because they felt the ends justified the means.
Dr Grande, you should do a video about Josh Duggar. Analyze his extreme upbringing and how it might have affected his previous and recent scandals. Also talk about some of his unusual personality traits (self-entitlement, narcissism, control over his wife) I had at first thought making a video about the family would be interesting, but especially now with the recent scandals that came out yesterday, it would make a very interesting video.
Abuse is often learnt behaviour. Children who grow up abused can sometimes become desensitised & see it as a norm they model & copy. Or, they are often attracted to abusers because abuse is familiar & what they think relationships are about. ( I did child psychology as part of my teaching degree).
Ulbricht still seems to think he was a nonviolent offender. That is not how the law looks at it. He was the kingpin of an inherently violent enterprise. It doesn’t matter if his own hands are dirty.
Yes, I feel he received an outlandishly long sentence ! He set up a platform to sell illegal items that basically looked like Amazon. He did not personally sell, ship, them himself. It operated for a long time before anything was ever done ,so I think he was getting very careless thinking no one cared. What a waste of a brilliant mind. I think he should get his sentence lessened.
An argument that lets every single drug baron off the hook. I didn't personally sell or ship them myself your honor, i just own the warehouses and facilitated the whole thing. Just because the kid is a computer geek who looks normal, you all seem to lose all sense of reason.
I'm only speculating but his horribly long sentance might have been because (A) he did not accept plea bargain or (B) He demonstrates criminal versatility and high intelligence. The authorities wouldn't want someone without remorse outsmarting them creating more trouble. His appeal sounds really well grounded; I liked your idea about hiring him, like they did with Frank Abagnale!
@@Joy-TheLazyCatLady2 that doesn't mean that he was believed. A person can be truly sorry and find others to be skeptical. I don't think the state felt he was remorseful. The sentence length shows that.
the multi part series that the podcast casefile did on ross and silk road is fantastic, i definitely recommend it to anyone interested in learning more. :)
@Mo Elm Well Ulbricht didn't sell it himself. He simply provided a platform for sellers and buyers to interact on. There's a difference although I agree he should be sentenced for it. Edit: And Silk Road didn't feature hitmen for hire either although there's evidence Ulbricht himself tried to hire hitmen.
We all here are regularly in the deep web of RUclips because we watch Dr. Grande and his deep psychological analyses, hahaha. Thanks for sharing all of these precious "p!lls" regularly with us. 😉💜
I would love for you to cover the Death Valley Germans. I just really want to know what drove them to make such a series of blunders. I know we can all make dumb decisions, but it’s very sad in this case because it cost a whole family their lives.
I’d purposely avoided this video because I was sure it would be the end of my Dr. Grande watching days. It came on while my hands were occupied and I couldn’t switch it easily. The good doctor managed to surprise me. I’m not sure why I was convinced he was going to take a hardline on the open drug market stuff, but this was a genuinely good take.
They really tossed the book at him. I have a hunch that because he is a handsome man and thought he could win his case, the government was going to make an example of him and so they did.
There is a podcast available on RUclips called Casefile: Silk Road - that does a magnificent job of narrating this intricate story. Thank you for your analysis Doc, it is appreciated. Could you please analyze Cindy James whose story is told on Casefile.
Dr Grande I had been asking you to present this and you already had.. I’m so appreciative of you’re posting it It’s a representation of an upside down twisted legal system we have .Two life sentences disgusting! The judge since “retired” would like to see how they feel now
As a software developer familiar with the functioning of the dark net, I can tell you right now that it’s far better not to reveal how they found the server if they want to keep using the tactic.
Allowing drug sales online & murder for hire? Sounds like conspiracy theorists & scammers like him. Justice isn't always fair. Heros to me aren't harming others, do good things for family & society that aren't in public eye. Thanks Dr G....always interesting😊💛💜and good points.
My brother was actually helping the US government in an attempt to capture Ulbricht just before he was arrested. My brother was caught selling drugs on the Silk Road, then cooperated. He was talking to Ulbricht every day on the telephone, and was going to be the Silk Road's programmer. My brother gave up a $180k per year salary up in Seatlle as a computer programmer when he quit his job, started selling on the Silk Road and made over a million dollars selling cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin in just 9 months and was one of the top one percent of sellers on the site worldwide. He ended up getting sentenced to 5 years in prison, and got 2 years off for cooperating...
Extremely interesting case Dr. Grande, very unlucky for him that he didn’t take the plea deal, unfair sentence to say the least, this one made me think ♥️
Kinda unrelated but I had a friend that was 21 and he ordered what he thought was DMT on the “dark web”. He took the concoction and said it made him trip out for a few hours. A few months later he asked me to meet up to talk about something. He proceeded to tell me that mushroom people were after him, and wealthy parents of a girl he slept with were trying to ruin his life. A week later he told me he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He’s now heavily medicated and has no friends other than me. It’s probably the saddest thing I’ve seen in my life because he’s an empty husk of the great guy he once was. Thanks for the video Dr. G. Shout out to my friend Brian who still blames the dark web for his illness.
I think your analysis was solid. He was wronged by his severe sentencing. Yes he should do time, but as first offense, double life sentencing is far too harsh. He got a life sentence for essentially having a website. Lastly, we should be free to choose to take drugs or not. Individual Sovereignty. You didn't mention this part of the nanny state overseeing what someone can or cannot do with their own body.
Based on your analysis, this punishment is way too hard. There are murderers who get less time, with parole. I hope he can appeal and get another judge.
In 2016 - 2018 Ulbricht appealed to the Court of Appeals in the Second District (NY) and then the US Supreme Ct. His appeals failed. In late 2020 he petitioned President Trump for a pardon or clemancy which seemed to have been considered but not acted upon. Likely he'll continue seeking to change/appeal his sentence but no strategy has been shown. He may have to wait for 20 to 30 years. Times change, as does society's views on punishment. He may then seek parole, despite the life w/o parole sentence, if his prison record is clean. Like all sentences, it is a tragic waste of a human life.
I’m certain that Ross would contribute some big-time* *🌵*****_Bit-coin_*****🌵*on *Dr. GrAndes achievement of *700*k. **SUBSCRIBERS**. Your efforts to shed light on this and a well documented analysis is Superb. Thanks for analysis with prejudice. 🌵🍀🌵
Another fantastic video! Always quality content and a wonderful balance of professionalism and casual humor. I'd love to hear an analysis of the infamous English inmate Charles Bronson, I think you would find him interesting!
I think that the problem was that Ulbricht was so intelligent and had displayed such a great capacity to manifest a system born of radical anti-establishment ideals that the judge simply, and I’d concur, couldn’t trust him not to re-enact a similar or perhaps even superior system in the future and thus rationalize the potential crimes and victims that would come along with it. It’s tragic, but Ulbricht was too smart and capable for his own good. 😔
I was just listening to some of your videos from a couple of years ago. Love all your stuff, and there's always more to find. Hey, you're almost at 700K subscribers! 😊😊😊
I’ve always been intrigued by this case. I think the sentence is harsh, but I don’t disagree with setting an example. If Ross got off easy it would look really bad. We can’t underestimate how much power Ross had, and how he abused it.
I lost sympathy for Ross Ulbricht when he hired hitmen to kill 6 people because regardless of whether they were real people or not, at the time, for Ross it was real. In his head, he just committed 6 murders by paying people to do it for him and was happy to get away with it. Heck, he even asked for pictures of the dead(which turned out to be staged), and yet he was very much fine with it. Ross is lucky no one died, because if those people were real and were really dead, no one would be supporting him to be set free. And in this scenario, he's a man who just saw pictures of successful assassinations led by his orders and that he paid for and was totally fine with it.
@@kerrypickens8594 He grew up with a kind, big and loving family, in an upper class neigborhood, with lots of friends who support him, a university degree. But his arrogance and greed was unchecked. He wanted the money as he was making millions a month. Easy and quick. I find it absolutely offensive he has a whole website, a fanbase, even free ross merchandise like he is a brand or celebrity when in reality he was as corrupt as the politicians and government he hated, in fact Id argue he's worse judging by the fact he had no hesitation to have 6 people assassinated. Can you imagine if he was a politician.
I think that sentence is okay with me. Aggravating factors include *any* fact or circumstance that increases the severity of the crime or culpability of the defendant. (Mitigating factors are just as broadly conceived.) Besides the murder for hire, six people died as a result of taking illegal drugs purchased through his website. He facilitated the victimization of a vulnerable population, namely drug addicts. And he could not have cared less. He was an adult when he made those decisions, he gets the adult punishment for it. I interpret his failure to take the deal as a lack of remorse and failure to accept responsibility. And he would do it again, just hide it better next time. Thank you for your analysis also. Edit: He embodies the phrase "menace to society" on a vast scale.
Murder for hire was a setup by FBI agents who stole Bitcoin and went to jail for it. This case has all to do about refusing the plea deal. This is a I'll show you and the whole world what you get for refusing that, nothing more
@@maximix3531 Take the murder for hire out of the analysis and a life sentence is still proportional considering the number of dead bodies that were piling up as a result. It's common knowledge that when a defendant doesn't take the deal they will get the "book thrown at" them. I am sure the prosecutor told him that directly. That's not secret or mysterious. It was a factor but far from the only factor.
@@maximix3531 I read what the judge said at sentencing and it was very clear that the six overdose deaths were a factor. The sentence that was imposed and the reasons, all of them, were affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals. It specifically rejected the argument that the sentence was harsh or unreasonable. Ulbricht appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court where he lost a third time. Nowhere in the arguments that Ulbricht himself made was there a single mention of your "interpretation". Not once, not anywhere. If that was the crux of the case I am sure he would have made that argument. And he didn't. Ever. Not once.
I agree. For an intelligent man to squander his graduate degree making millions by selling addictive drugs that ruin the lives of addicts and their families, as well as entering into a conspiracy to kill embezzling employees is quite egregious. His regret at sentancing wasn't necessarily sincere, because most sentanced felons say similar things.
Your consistent quality content and unique delivery are always spot on! --and that aubergine shirt is one of my favorites; very becoming with your spectacles AND your stellar co-staring cast of cacti. 🥰
There are people serving mandatory sentences of 55 years for possessing a couple ounces of crystal meth. If you are going to be lenient with high status offenders (well to do, educated), you should be lenient with low status offenders as well.
His last and final snub to the government was to reject the plea deal. He should have quit while he was ahead. Just like in gambling. . . The house always wins in the end!
He strikes me as a brilliant inventor. How many advancements are made in technology, that open the world up in a new way, end up having dire social consequences? Tech advancements often have ethical problems that are never considered in advance. Why didn't we imprison everyone who creates something new and then people start using it to break laws? Henry Ford? Thomas Edison? His company just needed an ethics committee.
At the time of his arrest, he was actually in the possession of about 144,000 bitcoin, valued at about 100 dollars per bitcoin at the time. Now, that bitcoin would be worth about 8 billion dollars. He would be one of the richest men on earth.
This thought makes me feel slightly ill
@Over It *"all your bitcoin are belong to us"
The world's richest drug baron technically. Just because El Chapo might have sold the odd book or car every now and then doesn't make him a legitimate business owner.
@@happyjonn9242No one said legitimate business owner, they said “one of the richest men” which is true regardless of how he earned it.
I’m Ross Ulbricht’s mother. Thank you for your thoughtful analysis. I can tell you that, despite what you may have read or heard in the media, Ross was absolutely not offered any plea deal. This is now public record. Of course he would have taken a 10-year deal.
I hope your son will get his sentence commuted. This is such an awful miscarriage of justice. "Making an example" of someone is, by definition, unlawful.
There are a lot of people, who are in some way involved in cryptocurrency that have very strong feelings that the sentence was tremendously inappropriate and unfair. Given the conduct of the investigators/prosecutors, the trial itself was unfair as was the fact that all of his pardons were denied.
I am one of the people who believes these things.
Do you think that clemency is at all likely? If so, is there anything that might facilitate this? Most of those concerned spend much of our time online. I am thinking primarily about things done over the Internet, such as spreading information and petitioning lawmakers to review the situation. Perhaps such attempts would be futile, or perhaps just keeping it alive people's minds would be useful.
What is your opinion?
It's appalling your son went to jail for even one day. He is not dangerous at all.... Meanwhile the Biden crime family run free to destroy America.
I'm so sorry Mrs Ulbricht, Ross did not deserve such a hardh sentence, he wasent treated fairly in anyway. I hope a lawyer worth their salt will take his case and help him, he should be free. He was an example and you know laws were broken to take him down and put all the blame on him. Tell him he has support.
I also feel your son's sentence was too harsh and feel for you as a mother. I'm from the UK and tired of reading about murderers or child abusers who get relatively minor sentences compared to this and then go onto reoffend. He sounds incredibly intelligent and could have put this to a better, legal use in future.
I think they threw the book at him to make an example of him and discourage anyone else from following in his footsteps.
he had balls
@Mo Elm the drug war is evil and all drugs should be legal. the drug war is the reason we have black markets in the first place. get your head out of your ass.
@@PhuckedUpPhilosophy Ok so legalizing drugs might solve the black market problem. What about the breakdown in the family, mental health problems, and the like caused by drug use?
@Mo Elm he personally wasn't selling anything. Just made a platform for people to do so.
@Mo Elm the Silk Road was different from other dark markets in that hitmen, credit cards, guns, etc. were all prohibited from sale. The only thing allowed to be sold were drugs & research chemicals. Moreover, he only acted as an escrow that connected buyers to sellers. You have no idea what you’re talking about
Way too harsh. They made an example of him. It's a shame, because there is no rehabilitation in prison, only vengeance.
$$$$'s
No parole so ...
@notfiveo they voluntarily injested the drug. It is their body and right to injest.
There were far worse things being sold on Silk road then mere drugs.
Having said that, any of those things can also be found on Facebook. To my knowledge, Mark Zuckerberg still walks amongst us, free and richer then Jesus.
The DA offered him a very good deal and he gambled that he could beat the case, and lost. Too bad, so sad. I have no sympathy for a brilliant man with a graduate degree from a prestigious uni who does nothing better with it than peddle poison and put out hits on his embezzling employees.
I’m Sure he thought he was fighting the system. And it appears that the system won a TKO in round four but refused to stop beating him to a pulp for the next hour.
Actually, the system AND the referee sent him to TKO during the break after fourth round and they are still kicking him to this day!
@@jcrnda i think arrest and 2x life in prison is a solid one-shot KO
It's not justice though. It is too harsh
@@alexhatfield4448 no one said it was?
When I heard his sentence, I was think “Gee, maybe the government should hire him instead of having a mind like his rot in prison!” Interesting that it was your conclusion too. Appreciate your analysis. 💗💖💗👍🏼
Yes, I thought that as well. It may still happen....
Yes, he would have been a great asset for the FBI instead of the fumbling bumbling idiots they have now
He tried to have five people murdered.
what did he do that was so clever? make an ebay that sells drugs, guns and illegal shit, so smart why didn't everyone else think of it? oh yeah, that's right because they would get caught and go to prison for the rest of their life.
Fff
One of the most underrated mental health channels in RUclips. Congratulations on the almost 700k subscribers.
Underrated? The appreciation and support he's getting is well deserved. I guess he'll probably never achieve the fame of some quacks I don't need to mention, but that's because he takes the topics seriously, and isn't selling scandal and sensationalism.
I think it's rated quite highly and 700 k is a lot
@Sarah Parker Previously the channel did feature more videos that could help you learn about diagnoses, therapy, and general mental health topics (see old videos, I think some of the earliest ones even talk about scientific research) For the last year the episodes have become more focused on true crime or forensic stories, or sometimes other discussions about matters of public interest (public figures actions discussed with mental health and personality aspects explored)
@@derekweinerttv4163 yeah!!
@Sarah Parker zzzz
Dr Grande is my self care 💜
Im ready for some soothing psychology and dry humor
Born ready 😀
Its what keeps us coming back 😂
I also find Dr. Grande’s voice to be soothing.
Hell yeah I was thinking the same thing today lmao
Very well put.
I agree, it probably should have been 10yrs. Two life sentences? Good gawd, excessive.
So a guy that kills say 10 kids gets the same as this guy.. TAKE ALL HIS MONEY AND GIVE HIM 5-10 YEARS
Plus 40 years without chance of parole.
But try and think of where the judge was coming from: most drug dealers get that amount.
Ulbricht was making 6-7% off of billions of dollars worth of drugs transactions, meaning in practice, he was a drug dealer/trafficker x 1000 in the eyes of the US government (just because he's behind a keyboard doesn't make it any less of an offense).
Yes he could do more good outside the U.S. Prison system... but that was for him to decide before he created a website to sell narcotics and arms.
@@dante6985 but isn’t that because those individuals tend to either have previous convictions or are personally involved in the drug making process themselves? It takes one hell of a criminal to become a real life kingpin , but Ross sounds like he was catapulted to the top.
@@XXXTENTAClON227 Thanks for the message. You're saying "he's a first time offender, judge him by the standards of other first time offenders" which is fair reasoning.
BUT
Yes, people charged with first time drug dealing offenses get lighter sentences (roughly a year in prison? Let's say?). But my thinking still stands, he profited off of $ billions of dollars worth of drug transactions (which are usually in the hundreds or thousands, at most, individually) so in the eyes of the government, he was a drug dealer x 100 (not to mention the 6 or so hit attempts, which were consolidated into the kingpin charge). He was a millionaire at the end of this, most drug dealers aren't.
Whether it's 1 years x 100 or 6-7 years x 100 is kind of a moot point because in either case, it's unequivocal life in prison (Federal charges mean you spend 85% of your time, minimum.) An interesting point though.
This punishment in relation to the charges is bonkers. People get less for homicide. I’m not sure he was a hero, but he definitely didn’t deserve life w/o parole. I agree that he started with good intentions.
His sentence was retribution for making the Feds look like idiots for quite some time. He had no chance of a reasonable sentence when found guilty. Really should have taken that plea deal!
@@jonnylumberjack6223 Yes but that sends the message that one should take the plea deal even if innocent... It has happened before, yes, innocent people were given harsh sentences for not taking the plea deal and were later exonerated after a tough ordeal
@@maximix3531 But then it tells innocent people to take the plea. If it goes to trial 99% you are going to be found guilty. Innocent or not
Aaron Schwartz, one of the founders of Reddit, is a similar - imo even worse - situation 😔
He hired someone to commit quintuple homicide...
“.. they saw fit to make an example out of him, when they probably should have hired him..” - brilliant!
Agreed.
maybe they could've hired the guys who flew the planes into the twin towers as pilots... if only they survived. I mean they clearly knew how to fly.... makes about as much sense as your logic.
@@happyjonn9242 the people who flew the planes into buildings were hired by the government to create marshal law
@@wakkowarner8810 who are they going to pay to fly into a building and kill themselves?
They were only trying to make an example of him so that nobody else does anything like Silk Road. I am very much involved in a group who fights for his case to be dropped or at least his sentence commuted.
Good for you. I hope you succeed 🇬🇧
Bravo, the wrong sentence was given.
. Unbelievable. Yes they should have hired him.. Reminds me of the case from Catch me if you Can, who was hired by the FBI after he kept out smarting them. What a waste of potential for this young man.
He literally hired someone to attempt quintuple homicide... Good luck with that.
@Omniscient_ Turnip they were dropped cause he wasn’t talking to a real hitman as he thought snd was all a scam so it’s hard to really charge , fact is he thought he was ordering hits the emails are public records that you can read
@Mo Elm I COMPLETELY agree. I am surprised to some of him were defending him and some even calling him a hero! He even had people killed because of what he created. I think they belong in jail with him to be honest.
What a sad case with an unfortunate outcome. I hope Ross gets an opportunity at another appeal soon and is victorious, or a pardon. I had never heard of this case before, I appreciate your compassion towards Mr. Ulbricht.
He’s exhausted all of his appeals. You only get three. Intermediate appeal, state supreme and US Supreme. His only hope is a pardon.
Why, do you like a bad boy? He got what he deserved. That little weasel tried to have five people murdered. He didn't have the balls to go do it himself.
If you've never heard of this case before, I suggest you do some more research. The families destroyed by this guy and his undercovered business are heartbreaking.
Yeah this was an interesting case. His life would make sense if it was conspiracy to commit murder. Great video Sr Grande!!
I don't think he should've gotten such a harsh sentence for running silk road, but I DO however think he should've been convicted of conspiring to murder that one guy. He sent bitcoin to someone he thought was a gang member to order an execution, luckily it was all a scam but still, he had intended to have someone kill.
But it was directly because he was manipulated by the FBI to try and commit those crimes, which is terrifying
@@AdaptiveApeHybrid all you gotta do is say no.
@@albertbarese6486 still entrapment and still a make believe crime
@@albertbarese6486 slight side bar; do you believe in free will?
@@AdaptiveApeHybrid I believe "The devil made me do it" is no excuse. We answer to every offer made to us with our own voice.
Plea deals are used to secure a victory for the prosecutor. Life in prison was his punishment for daring to stand up for himself.
Precisely. He was a hero.
Probs best to just not start up huge drug businesses in the first place fi be fair
@@KaranLobana he wasn’t lol he was just a criminal he even tries to have people murdered over the dark web
@Mo Elm ffs idiot, stop spamming the comment section.
I hope you cover Aaron Swartz. I’d like to hear your thoughts - you always seem to have such a balanced view on these cases.
Yes! The internet’s kid!
Swartz was tragically and unnecessarily persecuted by the government. His ideals and actions truly were for the greater good and not for any monetary gain.
His family was also stalked and harassed by the FBI.
Two life sentences should be reserved for serial and spree killers , not a hacker.
@@polarbearsrus6980there's something wrong with you
Wow.. I agree with you 100% with the sentencing being way too harsh, especially when so many others commit really heinous crimes, then just get 10 years or less.
Amazing video Dr. Grande!!
Love how healthy those bright little cacti are looking! 😊
No, he got what he deserved. That little weasel tried to have five people murdered.
Ah yes the daily dose of analysis and smooth one liners.
I am currently reading the book "American kingpin:...." - what a perfect timing! Thanks Dr. Grande!
It's the consistency and humour for me. Very interesting episode. This one made me think.
There is a great book about this case: American Kingpin. It's particularly great as an audio book.
His Internet post tripped him up. The agent was the only person to watch his video. How unlucky is that.
That’s the public story. Who knows what sort of illegal snooping they did. They didn’t give a damn about his 4th amendment rights. We already know they broke laws in order to swipe his Bitcoin, who knows what else they did because they felt the ends justified the means.
What a vindictive remorseless agent
Again dr grande coming through with interesting content!
Dr Grande, you should do a video about Josh Duggar. Analyze his extreme upbringing and how it might have affected his previous and recent scandals. Also talk about some of his unusual personality traits
(self-entitlement, narcissism, control over his wife) I had at first thought making a video about the family would be interesting, but especially now with the recent scandals that came out yesterday, it would make a very interesting video.
His parents’ family system & child-rearing practices should be investigated. JD seems to be one messed up fellow.
Abuse is often learnt behaviour. Children who grow up abused can sometimes become desensitised & see it as a norm they model & copy. Or, they are often attracted to abusers because abuse is familiar & what they think relationships are about. ( I did child psychology as part of my teaching degree).
It’s an incestual cult.
For Ross Ulbricht I really feel bad and would like to see him released early from prison
Bottom line is he's a moron for not taking the plea deal. The murder for hire allegations had the judge like 🤨 "fook you bruh"
We are always told that sentencing is for rehabilitation, not punishment. These sentences can ONLY be viewed as punishment.
The punishment doesn't fit the crime either
I would love to see you do an analysis on Jim and Ron Watkins who were probably behind Q Anon.
@Over It Is that your boogeyman?
I would love to see a personality analysis from his journal contents. Part 2 maybe. ?
Imagine getting zero possibility of parole when you didn't directly end anyone's life.
Ulbricht still seems to think he was a nonviolent offender. That is not how the law looks at it. He was the kingpin of an inherently violent enterprise. It doesn’t matter if his own hands are dirty.
Yet they let actual murderers out free and clear every day. Clueless
@@GH-oi2jfeverybody's choice to buy and use
Yes, I feel he received an outlandishly long sentence ! He set up a platform to sell illegal items that basically looked like Amazon. He did not personally sell, ship, them himself. It operated for a long time before anything was ever done ,so I think he was getting very careless thinking no one cared. What a waste of a brilliant mind. I think he should get his sentence lessened.
An argument that lets every single drug baron off the hook. I didn't personally sell or ship them myself your honor, i just own the warehouses and facilitated the whole thing.
Just because the kid is a computer geek who looks normal, you all seem to lose all sense of reason.
I'm only speculating but his horribly long sentance might have been because (A) he did not accept plea bargain or (B) He demonstrates criminal versatility and high intelligence. The authorities wouldn't want someone without remorse outsmarting them creating more trouble. His appeal sounds really well grounded; I liked your idea about hiring him, like they did with Frank Abagnale!
He showed remorse. Weren't you listening to Dr G?
He showed more remorse than any DEA officer that puts a young man in prison for a plant of marijuana ever will.
@@Joy-TheLazyCatLady2 that doesn't mean that he was believed. A person can be truly sorry and find others to be skeptical. I don't think the state felt he was remorseful. The sentence length shows that.
@@Joy-TheLazyCatLady2 Remorse because that he was caught.
@Mo Elm there weren’t any guns or ‘hitman’, goofball. No what you’re talking about first.
I don’t understand the harsh sentencing. I absolutely love listening to Dr Grande. Looking forward to many more videos. Very interesting
Fascinating story and analysis! You must have put a huge amount of research into this discussion! Wow! Like really, just wow!
Yaaaay I am so early this time 🙏🏻 my bed time story from Dr Grande 🤗🙏🏻
the multi part series that the podcast casefile did on ross and silk road is fantastic, i definitely recommend it to anyone interested in learning more. :)
Would you please cover Elliott Smith?
Love the shirt, Dr. G!
Hi Dr.Grande
I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent arrest of Josh Duggar of TLCs 19 kids and counting. Can you do a video about him?
Barely sociable channel has an amazing good clip about this. Goes pretty deep into it.
Ah, a man of culture I see
☝ Yep. Barely Sociable's rundown is excellent.
I've listened to it twice. Barely Sociable is a GREAT channel.
Thanks!
@Mo Elm Well Ulbricht didn't sell it himself. He simply provided a platform for sellers and buyers to interact on. There's a difference although I agree he should be sentenced for it. Edit: And Silk Road didn't feature hitmen for hire either although there's evidence Ulbricht himself tried to hire hitmen.
We all here are regularly in the deep web of RUclips because we watch Dr. Grande and his deep psychological analyses, hahaha. Thanks for sharing all of these precious "p!lls" regularly with us. 😉💜
I would love for you to cover the Death Valley Germans. I just really want to know what drove them to make such a series of blunders. I know we can all make dumb decisions, but it’s very sad in this case because it cost a whole family their lives.
Ohhh I agree! Forgot about them. Thanks for the reminder.
Another excellent video. Dr Grande is compulsive viewing. He has a formidable intellect. An awesome analyst, psychologist and educator.
I’d purposely avoided this video because I was sure it would be the end of my Dr. Grande watching days. It came on while my hands were occupied and I couldn’t switch it easily. The good doctor managed to surprise me. I’m not sure why I was convinced he was going to take a hardline on the open drug market stuff, but this was a genuinely good take.
They really tossed the book at him. I have a hunch that because he is a handsome man and thought he could win his case, the government was going to make an example of him and so they did.
And everyone knows what happens to handsome men in prison 😵😱😭😡😡😡😡😡
That feeling you get when someone says everything you were thinking but way better than you ever could... Love this channel
There is a podcast available on RUclips called Casefile: Silk Road - that does a magnificent job of narrating this intricate story. Thank you for your analysis Doc, it is appreciated. Could you please analyze Cindy James whose story is told on Casefile.
If you haven't seen it, he's now done a video about Cindy James. Thanks for the recommend. ✌️🍍
Your research is unmatched, I love everything you do and all the hard work you put into your analyses, Dr. Grande!
Brilliant analysis. Thank you Dr Grande.
Dr Grande I had been asking you to present this and you already had.. I’m so appreciative of you’re posting it It’s a representation of an upside down twisted legal system we have .Two life sentences disgusting! The judge since “retired” would like to see how they feel now
As a software developer familiar with the functioning of the dark net, I can tell you right now that it’s far better not to reveal how they found the server if they want to keep using the tactic.
Dr. Grande, can you discuss the Holiday Inn. employee freak-out incident?
Can you analyze Josh Duggar?
I think you absolutely nailed it with this analysis. Agree 100%! Well done, sir!
Harsh punishment. Freedom was important to him.
Also, the purple is a whole MOOD 👍🏻
This is awesome!! I recently watched the Silk Road movie so this analysis would perfect timing. Good movie fyi.
Can you please do a video about Marilyn Manson? Considering the allegations, I would be curious to hear a character analysis of the man by yourself.
What allegations about Manson???
Dr Grande can you please do the case of Paris Bennett?? Have a great weekend! Love u💋🌹❤️
He done that video
Allowing drug sales online & murder for hire? Sounds like conspiracy theorists & scammers like him. Justice isn't always fair. Heros to me aren't harming others, do good things for family & society that aren't in public eye. Thanks Dr G....always interesting😊💛💜and good points.
My brother was actually helping the US government in an attempt to capture Ulbricht just before he was arrested. My brother was caught selling drugs on the Silk Road, then cooperated. He was talking to Ulbricht every day on the telephone, and was going to be the Silk Road's programmer.
My brother gave up a $180k per year salary up in Seatlle as a computer programmer when he quit his job, started selling on the Silk Road and made over a million dollars selling cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin in just 9 months and was one of the top one percent of sellers on the site worldwide. He ended up getting sentenced to 5 years in prison, and got 2 years off for cooperating...
Uber has also broken laws and later asked for forgiveness instead of permission. Ross should be be free.
Please do a video about Josh Duggar and his parents role in what happened
FREE THE DREAD PIRATE!
AND PALADIN SNOWDEN
AND SCRIBE ASSANGE!
"What types of items were sold at Silk Road?" Hm, what could it possibly be? "Drugs" I AM SHOCKED!
Extremely interesting case Dr. Grande, very unlucky for him that he didn’t take the plea deal, unfair sentence to say the least, this one made me think ♥️
His mother has commented on here that he wasn't actually offered one.
Kinda unrelated but I had a friend that was 21 and he ordered what he thought was DMT on the “dark web”. He took the concoction and said it made him trip out for a few hours.
A few months later he asked me to meet up to talk about something. He proceeded to tell me that mushroom people were after him, and wealthy parents of a girl he slept with were trying to ruin his life. A week later he told me he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
He’s now heavily medicated and has no friends other than me. It’s probably the saddest thing I’ve seen in my life because he’s an empty husk of the great guy he once was.
Thanks for the video Dr. G. Shout out to my friend Brian who still blames the dark web for his illness.
It is interesting, Dr. Grande. He didn't have a fair trial, punisment is too harsh.
Thank you, Dr. Grande.
Hello Angie!
@@stormcorrosion176 Hello, Vincent!
Great video. I'll will be buying your new book, can't imagine a better night time story than the psychology of serial killers.
I think your analysis was solid. He was wronged by his severe sentencing. Yes he should do time, but as first offense, double life sentencing is far too harsh. He got a life sentence for essentially having a website. Lastly, we should be free to choose to take drugs or not. Individual Sovereignty. You didn't mention this part of the nanny state overseeing what someone can or cannot do with their own body.
I am more impressed with Dr. Grande all the time..
Based on your analysis, this punishment is way too hard. There are murderers who get less time, with parole. I hope he can appeal and get another judge.
In 2016 - 2018 Ulbricht appealed to the Court of Appeals in the Second District (NY) and then the US Supreme Ct. His appeals failed. In late 2020 he petitioned President Trump for a pardon or clemancy which seemed to have been considered but not acted upon.
Likely he'll continue seeking to change/appeal his sentence but no strategy has been shown. He may have to wait for 20 to 30 years. Times change, as does society's views on punishment. He may then seek parole, despite the life w/o parole sentence, if his prison record is clean.
Like all sentences, it is a tragic waste of a human life.
I’m certain that Ross would contribute some big-time* *🌵*****_Bit-coin_*****🌵*on *Dr. GrAndes achievement of *700*k. **SUBSCRIBERS**. Your efforts to shed light on this and a well documented analysis is Superb. Thanks for analysis with prejudice. 🌵🍀🌵
The book about him is called American Kingpin and it's an excellent read.
He said that he was never offered the plea deal, actually. I'm not sure if there is any evidence of it.
You did a pretty good job on this. Thanks.
You never fail to disappoint, Dr. Grande. Excellent analysis as usual.
Hi....i could just listen to your calming voice all day long no matter what you could be talking about. So nice. Thank you. Take care.
Super interesting situation 👍. Thank for your attention to it Dr. Grande.
Another fantastic video! Always quality content and a wonderful balance of professionalism and casual humor.
I'd love to hear an analysis of the infamous English inmate Charles Bronson, I think you would find him interesting!
I think that the problem was that Ulbricht was so intelligent and had displayed such a great capacity to manifest a system born of radical anti-establishment ideals that the judge simply, and I’d concur, couldn’t trust him not to re-enact a similar or perhaps even superior system in the future and thus rationalize the potential crimes and victims that would come along with it. It’s tragic, but Ulbricht was too smart and capable for his own good. 😔
I was just listening to some of your videos from a couple of years ago. Love all your stuff, and there's always more to find. Hey, you're almost at 700K subscribers! 😊😊😊
It would seem that criminal punishment should also include a mental health component. Your opinion Doc?
Yes please.
I’ve always been intrigued by this case. I think the sentence is harsh, but I don’t disagree with setting an example. If Ross got off easy it would look really bad. We can’t underestimate how much power Ross had, and how he abused it.
I lost sympathy for Ross Ulbricht when he hired hitmen to kill 6 people because regardless of whether they were real people or not, at the time, for Ross it was real. In his head, he just committed 6 murders by paying people to do it for him and was happy to get away with it. Heck, he even asked for pictures of the dead(which turned out to be staged), and yet he was very much fine with it. Ross is lucky no one died, because if those people were real and were really dead, no one would be supporting him to be set free. And in this scenario, he's a man who just saw pictures of successful assassinations led by his orders and that he paid for and was totally fine with it.
He brokered drug deals and murders. He had every advantage growing up and he chose his path.
@@kerrypickens8594 He grew up with a kind, big and loving family, in an upper class neigborhood, with lots of friends who support him, a university degree. But his arrogance and greed was unchecked. He wanted the money as he was making millions a month. Easy and quick. I find it absolutely offensive he has a whole website, a fanbase, even free ross merchandise like he is a brand or celebrity when in reality he was as corrupt as the politicians and government he hated, in fact Id argue he's worse judging by the fact he had no hesitation to have 6 people assassinated. Can you imagine if he was a politician.
I think that sentence is okay with me. Aggravating factors include *any* fact or circumstance that increases the severity of the crime or culpability of the defendant. (Mitigating factors are just as broadly conceived.)
Besides the murder for hire, six people died as a result of taking illegal drugs purchased through his website. He facilitated the victimization of a vulnerable population, namely drug addicts. And he could not have cared less.
He was an adult when he made those decisions, he gets the adult punishment for it. I interpret his failure to take the deal as a lack of remorse and failure to accept responsibility. And he would do it again, just hide it better next time. Thank you for your analysis also.
Edit: He embodies the phrase "menace to society" on a vast scale.
Murder for hire was a setup by FBI agents who stole Bitcoin and went to jail for it. This case has all to do about refusing the plea deal. This is a I'll show you and the whole world what you get for refusing that, nothing more
@@maximix3531 Take the murder for hire out of the analysis and a life sentence is still proportional considering the number of dead bodies that were piling up as a result. It's common knowledge that when a defendant doesn't take the deal they will get the "book thrown at" them. I am sure the prosecutor told him that directly. That's not secret or mysterious. It was a factor but far from the only factor.
@@blurrylights6344 No, look at the other guilty in this case, much more dangerous than Ross. It's all about refusing the plea
@@maximix3531 I read what the judge said at sentencing and it was very clear that the six overdose deaths were a factor. The sentence that was imposed and the reasons, all of them, were affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals. It specifically rejected the argument that the sentence was harsh or unreasonable. Ulbricht appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court where he lost a third time. Nowhere in the arguments that Ulbricht himself made was there a single mention of your "interpretation". Not once, not anywhere. If that was the crux of the case I am sure he would have made that argument. And he didn't. Ever. Not once.
I agree. For an intelligent man to squander his graduate degree making millions by selling addictive drugs that ruin the lives of addicts and their families, as well as entering into a conspiracy to kill embezzling employees is quite egregious. His regret at sentancing wasn't necessarily sincere, because most sentanced felons say similar things.
Interesting case. I agree with your analysis completely. Thank you Dr. Grande.
Could you analyze the **Duggar family** and in particular Josh Duggar? 🤔 LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!!! 😁
I can't believe this sentence! Life without parole. Poor guy. Dr Grande you are looking fine tonight 🇬🇧
Your consistent quality content and unique delivery are always spot on! --and that aubergine shirt is one of my favorites; very becoming with your spectacles AND your stellar co-staring cast of cacti. 🥰
There are people serving mandatory sentences of 55 years for possessing a couple ounces of crystal meth. If you are going to be lenient with high status offenders (well to do, educated), you should be lenient with low status offenders as well.
there should be no sentences for drug users at all
@@TheSaival There is a difference between a drug user and a kingpin.
Keep up the content
Now I’m convinced Dr Grande should be a defense lawyer 😋
No, he's too good at his chosen job to leave it.
“Just speculating what could be happening in a situation like this” proceeds to talk about an extremely unique situation lol
Hahahaha ya once in a lifetime cases haha
There is not a day that goes by where I do not think of Ross and wanting him to be free.
His last and final snub to the government was to reject the plea deal. He should have quit while he was ahead. Just like in gambling. . . The house always wins in the end!
He strikes me as a brilliant inventor. How many advancements are made in technology, that open the world up in a new way, end up having dire social consequences? Tech advancements often have ethical problems that are never considered in advance. Why didn't we imprison everyone who creates something new and then people start using it to break laws? Henry Ford? Thomas Edison? His company just needed an ethics committee.
I wanna see a Ross albricht interview NOW in his words
I’d love to hear your thoughts on josh Duggar