Blackmail Fail (2013)

In which the writer receives astonishing offers from benignant strangers

Weird things hap connected the Internet, sometimes. I person agelong been willing successful cryptographic topics, and successful June 201115ya, I began researching the caller darknet markets (DNMs), arsenic epitomized by Silk Road 1 (SR). Between my sustained sum of DNM topics, occasional interventions for illustration my Sheep-MarketPlace/BlackMarket-Reloaded bet, and my insignificant domiciled successful the doxing of Sheep MarketPlace’s owner, and my essays Bitcoin is Worse is Better & Time-lock cryptography, I person been sometimes accused of being much progressive than I look - perchance Dread Pirate Roberts (really Ross Ulbricht), Satoshi Nakamoto1, a high-level seller, a rule enforcement agent, aliases different things.

While sometimes flattering (I wish I was Satoshi Nakamoto!), these are each rather wrong: I americium but an impoverished writer who hardly makes ends meet, and surely not a Bitcoin billionaire aliases elite C++ P2P crypto programmer, though I constitute about Bitcoin/cryptography/DNMs. Still, immoderate tinge of notoriety tin beryllium useful if it intends group are consenting to show maine backstage information. On the different hand, sometimes it is plain irritating. They don’t ever spell anywhere. Here are immoderate examples of things that went nowhere, aliases astatine least, not wherever I wanted them to go.

Prompted by my bounty to nwerg, I offered a bounty 2016–42020 of $18.87$152020 to anyone who tin de-anonymize maine successful a measurement I do not already cognize astir aliases which is impressive; I nary longer connection this. (As of December 2017, I paid retired 2 bounties, and 3 person declined payment; for the ~3 earlier deanonymizations, I did not person a bounty group up. There person besides been a fewer incorrect attempts to declare the bounty, immoderate amazingly convincing looking.)

Anonymous

10 September

On 2012-09-10, I returned from my meal to observe successful my inbox news of a connection personification sent maine astatine 4:55PM utilizing my anonymous feedback form:

gwern
I signed up usernames “gwern” and “gwernbranwen” astatine pivory.com
I will merchandise login info to you for a ransom.
The ransom worth decreases complete clip pursuing exponential decay pinch a half-life of 365/2=182.5 days.
It starts astatine 32 USD connected 2012-09-11. I’ll let a 1 time precision.
Payment is to beryllium sent arsenic Bitcoin utilizing MtGox mean value to 1LtiftPcu3AjTbXf2XFCbvNTaeRFL1yBAy
After 365 days I will commencement utilizing the accounts.
[email protected]

Oh no! I was being extorted complete a username connected immoderate forum tract called Pivory. Was I going to salary up $48.76$322012 to rescue my doppelganger from the clutches of a sinister extortionist? Did he scheme to station threats against the President aliases kid porn connected this tract to besmirch my bully name? I knew I had to enactment swiftly to stanch the damage!

I told him no.

More precisely, I posted the pursuing signed connection to Google+ and a backstage mailing list, publically committing to not paying him a azygous satoshi:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA512 CCing cheshirecats arsenic tract owner; CCing OB-NYC arsenic witnesses. > gwern > I signed up usernames "gwern" and "gwernbranwen" astatine pivory.com > I will merchandise login info to you for a ransom. > The ransom worth decreases complete clip pursuing exponential decay pinch a half-life of 365/2=182.5 days. > It starts astatine 32 USD connected 2012-09-11. I'll let a 1 time precision. > Payment is to beryllium sent arsenic Bitcoin utilizing MtGox mean value to 1LtiftPcu3AjTbXf2XFCbvNTaeRFL1yBAy > After 365 days I will commencement utilizing the accounts. > [email protected] Your connection successful my anonymous tract feedback shape leaves maine deeply amused, and I applaud your courtesy successful mounting the 365-day ransom astatine a modest $8 (2 half-lives from $32); but I'm acrophobic I must diminution your offer permanently. Since location are indefinitely galore Internet sites which let user signups and publically visible comments, accepting an extortion connected any of them for immoderate magnitude exposes maine to indefinitely ample losses. Hence by backward induction, location is simply a clear decision-theoretic verdict against paying you immoderate sum. - -- gwern https://www.gwern.net -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.15 (GNU/Linux) iEYEAREKAAYFAlKuIbAACgkQvpDo5Pfl1oLzlwCgltduvcnKy2GB5Lmz6EtBTknT fRIAnRtF4DVLmoW8fGAR32fFFeuIqG24 =+rda -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

(See decision theory and backward induction for background. I deliberation my small statement whitethorn not beryllium rather right, but it’s still clear that a precommitment to not paying successful specified circumstances is optimal for the aforesaid logic 1 precommits to not discuss pinch hostage-takers etc.)

Discussion

One funny facet was that the costs declined pinch time, alternatively than, arsenic 1 would expect, increase pinch clip arsenic a penalty. Michael O’Kelly successful the Google+ comments pointed retired that the strategy was besides successful conflict pinch option-value/learning:

Am I missing something, aliases would it make much consciousness for the ransom to increase exponentially? You will only really beryllium tempted to salary if Pivory becomes the basking caller thing, which becomes little ambiguous pinch time.

I theorized that it was not motivated by a peculiar economical aliases decision-theoretic consideration, but much of a psychological hack:

Michael: I figured it was an effort to hack convenience; if I paid up quickly, he’d make the most. Most group would not beryllium diligent capable to wait. (You’re correct that you and I would take a compounding strategy, for illustration immoderate regular extortionist, to alternatively incentivize speedy costs by each sorts of people.)

Of course, he must not cognize maine very well, because if he did, he would’ve known that I would simply put costs connected my almanac for a twelvemonth from now and salary arsenic small arsenic possible, aliases amended yet, hold for him to really commencement utilizing the accounts and only paying up if it looked for illustration he could do immoderate harm pinch it.

Арсений Алексеев pointed retired an further failing if we took the psychological view, that the extortionist provided a clear deadline and truthful location was little inducement to salary to trim uncertainty (dislike of uncertainty seems related to loss aversion):

You would beryllium tempted to salary early if the ending day was unknown. I americium amazed he made that public.

Finally, Joshua Zelinsky speculated connected broader implications of the extortionist’s failure:

This suggests that group only return exponential discounting earnestly erstwhile it isn’t made explicit. If 1 thinks that hyperbolic discounting makes much consciousness though past this ransom doesn’t really work.

Outcome

I made 2 predictions astir really my anonymous extortionist would respond to my nationalist declaration:

1. He will reply: 65%

   If he spent the clip registering the username and contacting me, aft specified a rebuke, I expected a reply if only to warrant his peculiar costs schedule. Unfortunately, I was incorrect and arsenic of 2013-12-15, I person not heard a peep from him, and further, the Bitcoin reside 1LtiftPcu3AjTbXf2XFCbvNTaeRFL1yBAy has been inactive since.

2. He will not effort a 2nd extortion: 65%

   As I said astatine the time, “if it didn’t activity the first time, why would it activity elsewhere?” Indeed. I’d said nary and fixed a wide mentation of why I could not salary for the full people of extortion attempts.

I paid thing and suffered nary harm, truthful I respect this mostly arsenic an amusing illustration of the usage of Bitcoin for extortion.

DPR?

7 November

At 5:13PM I received a funny PM connected Reddit:

Sorry for each the problem I caused. I cognize I fuck up alot. This privnote contains everything to screen your ass, its really I connected you to you. https://privnote.com/n/mhstglglfojgxgqb/#opzcvoxulwcwlskl Sorry for fucking up what you had. I was conscionable hopeless and was trying to cling to thing I could. You won’t fto maine vend proper, you won’t time off maine unsocial and conscionable fto maine do my thing. I felt for illustration I had thing other to move to, and if you were going to descend my ship, I would to yours. My canine died coming because we couldn’t spend her medication. Such is life. Here is the pgp if you don’t want to click that link. It formatted due successful pgp. —–BEGIN PGP MESSAGE—– Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (MingW32) hQIMA8J30uIoggNFAQ/9GJDAeJ3P+C7oqcV6deaYXpIStWzSPgF5jhcLgrCHZ7c9 gf16Qi7F1p/HFN7WgarpxBboET9w3/7BXy9+wRueODJV/qffg781kl8pyOtlcHXX d7JpYOZVi8o/faimlsapSP5kMbmhTqPJFsCQ+H7IfI2NRkLXWi9yezq5jNRu9VRb Jda5BvKq37G1F+d5bxKOpJMNxDn2gL3Gz+IbaShHnO9+UtoPR1BbNZqjV/H+TLKm 5J7zWHYU0kwe6fGhY9SobD3QSAXIDNnd6ONYC4tmHOcjMK4SfKVm01uECq6bxGLH l8e5my9CQEME/zr7AapDX9y77AwXuoiah5ZfjFwvyaz/V2C1sOcov2Ws/Z/BT4mL sxwEehEfL0+D1MeoKRJBz73JCxPsRqLUfOK9kax828uEbo7gDPJZdTXPx9z4cfZG 83mSdEQt4gKve8PUTqs6RndJIxZ6Ua1uLW4kS7TZuKXT69QnOTYM1zv3Fh4xz95l R36zbbUUN8ZcolphOr6t2kTAYJlsV17Qiw3+9dTtI5XFSq/Us6FqMcz9Tvh23n7c RVfn49+SH9WjaFz7KvpYw3l68ZdhzPNFIvHLbE1q4LZfut2b9SC3zOHc/nqdKg+H nt0vNljKfuw5Kdb3Jh5e7Gpx2iTfxfQz5dZ5aZ4ITlv7YDNvRVKcg0apVQFqrW7S wSIB13pbIgzlnblI2j/OurmagWJB84fGjGTnBs8Zj7qTG5dRdXRrXZOi2vViNs/u 5F6I6Er34qzCuU2a1VxehrZI5AZ9ivtbQvs6//HbnjVo2kXv9vStepMFlCd4fbCY J/ZJ0Fsk49jjEoODmqVBifPwDGREmYnbtL/uewrOLOrl0nmO9JUii0V8ZL9qBKZM 3Jh2Q8y84O059M+m0oIptBmF8IFfpH+4NtD6Sg6oaVNOja+/rw8+heih3CIo0NGq xLia3qaK/DPBa5wT7skuLfFf6VTZopOvNDir1RPXpHWpJAPk80lQorqKP3Y5KOTo sdzsWzOmvbLvfeaIRccqbds7KGAiZq+WMj7FiTpv309q7AaK16vgC7ndot+pAHyU AZqCZ2W/JCIO+CeF7WYpKfFEXVM/vd4Z08ov2EC30BtLc/nRGGe3L/ZWfs3krA4v CpLad/RoN42KEds0Y0JO7ZHkLf3qb7b3LLFQXGFkjGkY39HpH1AVfG+jQz3geHIx RHaiRNKy2B/Zh3aKxOmPHazxOiyUh8yAn8YtndM3RRVa9D2avaUoTrqqj/mYM31Q 6iYqxwchqxs8DOu2nwchH3aQmNVJjvmGP+zS9fE8dbehvarYj65Q9YUV3RKHJ6cw 5AUiCg== =5yAt —–END PGP MESSAGE—– Again, sorry astir being a portion of shit. Although i’m judge thats not enough. Don’t worry. I won’t ever opportunity your sanction again.

The Privnote nexus seemed to incorporate the aforesaid PGP-encrypted message, some encrypted to “RSA key, ID 28820345” - not a cardinal I had aliases whose ID I recognized. My first conjecture was that he thought he had linked my Gwern pseudonym to a DNM usability (presumably either an worker of the recently-deceased Silk Road aliases arsenic an usability of the then-recently-opened Silk Road 2. Other possibilities included BlackMarket Reloaded aliases Sheep MarketPlace.) I tin opportunity this owed to the spot astir “You won’t fto maine vend proper”: since I americium wholly uninvolved successful moving the DNMs and I mostly only archive vendors aft they’ve been busted, it is improbable I arsenic Gwern interfered pinch his selling, and that past intends he must deliberation I’m personification else.

I’m really funny why he thinks I’m moving a DNM but the problem is, I can’t decrypt his connection and if I show him that, past it sounds for illustration I really americium the personification he thinks I secretly americium and I’m bullshitting him. I’m besides funny what problem he caused ‘me’ because I’ve ne'er heard of this nick before. So present was the scheme I decided connected to woody pinch him: I show him his connection is malformed connected some Reddit & Privnote (which it is), show him really to format it for Reddit (indent each statement by 4 spaces), and show him to usage my ‘public’ identity’s key. Hopefully he’ll return this arsenic a morganatic method glitch, re-encrypt to a cardinal I really have, and past I’ll cognize what he’s talking about. If he gets spooked by my ‘apparent’ inability to decrypt the message, past he wasn’t really convinced I americium ‘me’ successful the first spot and I don’t particularly attraction what his arguments aliases facts were.

An hr later, I replied:

I do not cognize what you are talking about, and surely would not beryllium capable to decrypt that message. You should usage my nationalist cardinal https://gwern.net/me#contact if you person thing to opportunity to me.

Also, your connection is malformed connected some Reddit & Privnote: you request to indent each statement by 4 spaces and past it’ll activity fine.

I really liked the coyness of that first line: I deliberation that’s perfectly worded to sound for illustration I cognize exactly what he’s talking astir but I’m insisting connected the re-encryption arsenic a butt-saving maneuver.

8 November

I waited pinch awesome eagerness for the reply to study really precisely ‘I’ was being blackmailed aliases extorted aliases doxed, only to beryllium told:

The full matter of the first connection I sent you was copy/pasted.

I was sent that connection by personification who claims to cognize the personality of DPR. I’m not excessively precocious pinch PGP only precocious learning it, but I judge it is formatted for DPR PGP cardinal truthful neither of america will beryllium capable to decrypt it. He falsely believed I was personification other aft I impersonated an individual he asked to interaction him. I was simply trolling awaiting the motorboat of the caller road.

I cognize the sanction of the personification he is claiming to beryllium DPR and he did show maine immoderate convincing grounds but I neglected to prevention immoderate of the pictures retired of deficiency of belief. Now I’m opening to deliberation he whitethorn person been correct because of really quickly I was censored erstwhile I tried to divulge this information.

I americium honestly undecided arsenic to whether aliases not I want to flick astatine the issue, arsenic I’m solely a elemental customer from the original SR and a sailing vessel is bully capable for me. But this accusation was posted connected Reddit much than erstwhile aft the registration suspension connected the charismatic forums. That said, rule enforcement has decidedly seen what was disseminated and if it’s true, it is successful the champion liking of everyone to uncover it earlier LE go progressive erstwhile again.

I contacted you because I’ve publication bully things astir you connected the forums aft researching who you were pursuing your encrypted info station past week. If you wish to talk immoderate of this further, connection maine backmost and we’ll move to a much unafraid level and I tin stock pinch you what I was told and you tin followup successful an effort to find its veracity. Thank you for your time.

I was terribly disappointed: he had been bluffing me! He couldn’t decrypt the connection either and had nary much thought than I did what was successful it. And his mentation wasn’t terribly plausible: I did person DPR’s charismatic nationalist key, but it was the cardinal ID 67B7FA25, not cardinal ID 28820345 (as I said, the connection hadn’t matched immoderate of the nationalist aliases backstage keys I’ve collected complete the years).

I replied pointing retired the cardinal ID rumor and linking him to my nationalist cardinal for further discussion. He ne'er replied.

jack0fnone

10 December

This conception is an illustration of thing I hoped would beryllium a useful lead, but which turned retired to beryllium a nuisance. (Messages beneath person been lightly copyedited to region the astir egregious misspellings, and wherever relevant, encrypted messages are decrypted & respective successive comments by a statement are mixed into a azygous blockquote; otherwise, their original formatting is preserved arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.)

On 2013-12-10, I visited Reddit to observe successful my inbox a peculiar message:

[“The momentum of moments…” from jack0fnone sent 57 minutes ago]

Not your emblematic dox. https://privnote.com/n/tgczkzspwnindyfw/#bhbmxmqrdedwkukh

15bD6fYs6p9D9wmniDtTBcQSyWXDYNDCwv

Catch your activity and determine if it’s amended to avoid an email/response altogether. I for 1 person travel to beryllium incredibly fascinated by the condemnation you’ve show frankincense far, and afloat guidelines by your side. I do offend easily, but I’m besides rather forgetful erstwhile recognized by opportunity. It’s genuinely been fascinating!

Objectively, jack0fnone

Most peculiar. Not your emblematic dox - prophetic words. jack0fnone was not a nick I recognized, a speedy Google turned up thing but a probable mendacious affirmative successful immoderate kid’s gamertag, and I did not admit the Bitcoin reside 15bD6fYs6p9D9wmniDtTBcQSyWXDYNDCwv (which turned retired to person nary transactions). This sounded for illustration it could beryllium thing - possibly a dox of BlackMarket Reloaded’s backopy? I knew my SMP informant had been looking into BMR, and while this prose didn’t sound for illustration him, I didn’t person overmuch to guidelines that conjecture on.

Naturally, I opened the Privnote.com nexus to publication the afloat message:

How overmuch clip are we ever really guaranteed? So galore beautiful ideas to research and utilization successful this little lifetime. Wouldn’t you agree?
To recognize that it each could person been for thing much than perfectly thing is the measurement by which we must pridefulness ourselves to speech a speech someday I assume.
I wonderment if your sheer brilliance will show itself to beryllium arsenic resilient this clip around, awesome minds tin create existent revolutions erstwhile they activity together successful secrecy.
I travel offering you an system of expansive scale, a life of secrecy, friendship, and a accelerated paced blueprint to successfully free everyone of these tremendous frustrations.
With truthful overmuch to lose, I americium wondering whether everyone is still connected way for a contingency scheme successful Cyprus.

I excessively tin alteration the world, sometimes we must dress to judge it’s for the amended for reality to drawback up to truth–I’m judge you understand. I do not attack you aliases your squad pinch opposition, only a information which I spot to beryllium purer than yours. I don’t consciousness thing genuinely needs to beryllium discussed. I discuss successful the aforesaid measurement that each of you have, and pinch that sworn statement, I will return conscionable this 1 wallet disconnected of your hands and coming a scheme much motivating and functional (1933phfhK3ZgFQNLGSDXvqCn32k2buXY8a) My meddling successful your teams existent affairs is of small importance, but to validate the thought of a scam coin and expose it’s truths would not only time off identities and reputations crippled, it would inevitably destruct a instauration that tin astir surely beryllium reconciled successful these early stages. The replacement way will springiness you a chance to thoroughly picture this short lived con nether your organized database of “mistakes”.

I astir surely americium the feline you are looking for, and if not I americium everlastingly inclined to beryllium the 1 you’re looking retired for. I would powerfully impulse against vocalizing your concerns aliases findings immoderate further successful the various communities which you grace arsenic a shape of mitigating the early risks you presume to beryllium impending. My unequivocal sentiment is that we should proceed to alteration the ambiance and cognition successful a measurement that doesn’t inhibit the advancement of this crypto (specifically Bitcoin) activity successful places wherever it is desperately needed. I cannot accent the value of timeliness arsenic I americium eagerly anticipating the expected denial shape that is to come! I, however, americium assured that our negotiations person pleasantly concluded; for amended aliases worse, I would debar focusing connected the rationale astatine this point. It would service you good to person maine connected your broadside these adjacent fewer months, arsenic I’ve decided it would beryllium an absolute reproach and tragic succession of events the pursuing months to person this move guardant successful immoderate different manner. Similarly I connection the action of ceasing to beryllium if you truthful take to not dignify this business I would dream to develop.

signed,
1933phfhK3ZgFQNLGSDXvqCn32k2buXY8a >
15bD6fYs6p9D9wmniDtTBcQSyWXDYNDCwv

[email protected]

Well. That was ominous. I recognized the reside 1933phfhK3ZgFQNLGSDXvqCn32k2buXY8a arsenic being the notorious mislaid wealth of Dread Pirate Roberts - the $31,420,185.26₿111,1142013 the FBI grounded to confiscate utilizing Ross Ulbricht’s laptop. Did Jack deliberation I was the real DPR and Ross a patsy aliases insignificant employee? Certainly the mention of “team” suggested I had ongoing operations and that he mightiness deliberation I was the DPR2 moving SR2, but I didn’t cognize what mightiness beryllium meant by “scam coin”. More disturbing was the condemnation mentioning my “organized database of ‘mistakes’”, which was a clear allusion to my mistakes page and grounds that this was a targeted connection and not immoderate indiscriminate broadcast to, say, each Redditors who commented connected SR-related articles. Regardless, this is simply a clear blackmail attempt.

How to respond? I person nary concealed identities worthy paying to support secret, I do not person ₿111,114 (heck, I don’t moreover person ₿111), and if I did, did he earnestly deliberation that I would salary up instantly connected getting specified a cryptic threat? Now, I cognize he must beryllium incorrect successful immoderate his accusation is, but that doesn’t mean his accusation is worthless: he could person still stumbled complete valuable information, moreover if his conclusion is wrong. And the purple prose was inherently amusing (if a small disturbing successful its ain measurement - “What frightens america astir successful a madman is his sane conversation”).

How to find retired what he knows? I can’t simply show him, “you are wrong, but could you please show maine what accusation led you to your outlandish conclusion?” I decided to employment the aforesaid strategy the past clip personification accused maine of being DPR: insist connected mounting up a caller nationalist cardinal and talk via that. Naturally, I didn’t attraction astir Reddit eavesdropping connected our speech - what do they attraction astir a mistaken dox aliases obscure spot of DNM trivia? The constituent was simply to springiness Jack an belief of guilt: aft all, what innocent personification would fuss pinch specified precocious information measures? Surely only the existent DPR would insist connected specified iron-clad unafraid communications⸮

I replied briefly:

Reddit and safe-mail are transparent sieves arsenic acold arsenic we are concerned. Here is simply a nationalist key:

-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.15 (GNU/Linux) mQENBFKnzMIBCADuocAFw6DktC6FC+WN21ly7SwiOiVic8uknEl+EqTShX1fZ7Vq DC9TajB3tItHJBDq3J6hBK+vFVOq4+mUDz4/vGNFqRZuOiZBM5vNr8mxYUZrVu50 REvE1YGzTdWqFW2E87Jw/E/psOMAeAM6xiwqffp6RRCl09ERix2FmgMOnHkLsRc5 t5dePjs7jj42l0XAAV8vbPRubOqddSBBxLAq7t2CJOJ+o53lqhD/rH8W5izWephW A63emiDdIJ16hKRzEMGWLRWNMKRzRM5XQ7dUlpLlENgpKduEj+iyEHUYEvXYl/4c 86WHozYkSbE7b8ftzB9BeiMbL8HjoJHhIAmZABEBAAG0I05vIEZpeGVkIFBvaW50 IDx0ZW1wb3JhcnlAdW5pdmVyc2U+iQE+BBMBCgAoBQJSp8zCAhsDBQkDwmcABgsJ CAcDAgYVCAIJCgsEFgIDAQIeAQIXgAAKCRAjuDcHGnJekn52CADkohEBgR8l7WZX 5X0MQyxWTEkNoaDk0daqqUJXq17xljXm+JQ7Z3I4uFEuGeF4CaANhEsnE50h9CZs Gz7w+R+XoUX+/DIqKq7RDQyOM3nVvEiU8oe+OONfFpZHD4OSgvrv6dDmAQgX6m0z 7C/40l5IqZBjtsvwS+WZwq6T9bD+WfziAsMHgpx2WO4BDNwWqpkI7qfKR2y2zWCn r29QN5rEZ8vhZ2vOu2pQ6euR7+xgpSztyfkivF7CuRmCB15c3OsF8hHVbwA191BP tkYHJDLqD04AikRlqzRuPUOPY1e1aK1tGIXovRgGu2uzOjLLxEuQY2PkIUj68prL 3YLQo0TeuQENBFKnzMIBCADnBkf8nD2vNFyE9Dn1a+uN72GPq+UtlQ3eKiGj7Z4a oQzi69ezCl0bESlLlILGQQ/8Y6pd2KJUyt07YCETIcl4iTgCLLdmx3W9k5IxhUc0 YZMTFuAnxFNIgzLaaj3+BQnuVLj/WI9nqz4ztyfX9ywmL4/9RJH1GfHezwSR71tz ULFERRDbKUDN8CA+51D9DZmizGdzP9z14qaDMaTN07xz4Ok0ytxQsvR6BweZXTuC T9ZA5G1Q8xUbPyYAAjL57hFKrKYz/i4ogp+WcdocGyM1t3RuORnofAHDI7r57pwe 2hftnIBzuVGs+/A9cNM6sktiXDWV7XQ7dxzOilGzcyf5ABEBAAGJASUEGAEKAA8F AlKnzMICGwwFCQPCZwAACgkQI7g3BxpyXpKScwf9E1YCb0DGRWSW48rXq+zXJdsp RV+BiydtGSv7BJfzrGS2tkRDgv2cPVOzmtXufgz4RLjuvMPutk32AH/u3Nd48t8k XeFbuoLPK+ksXVCQbkTG7+XvzqxT974l7ILu3cCcHNXhZjx9y+x5ENz2WdAqUTc2 i/lwQ9Qyo4BHSXpI8o59jLKIV12PbkofHE2ytDrOlCDSv/J0sX7lSakKpOEusZhC TqeQTOo0Dwf9jBYjuyVyGiAJBOAZ+5Idky/FjNXi6pSuROtvjFYndxMXCy2I4jol m9KPCj00R+2Wi7ENrTLCVTEYZlPfZSi3rblE63Ch1VWgCGZQVD8bjTtD0KuZUw== =ah5R -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Please reply pinch a caller nationalist cardinal and your scheme for a fix.

11 December

Jack seemed to return the bait, arsenic he quickly replied

With awesome pleasure.

And past sometime later, sent a longer reply:

—–BEGIN PGP MESSAGE—– Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (MingW32)

hQEMA4z9l03Eej0JAQgAtmUV4qSJI/9bn50luT1Y4QqAXRNBIik/NyNBB4WFy9zm tQ6snjE6Wt52IYlL7HWc+gw7hprEMTD2N1I9CvhIkXkYMRWrqwW84vzfGhL62FEU ZKVOlDGMosRUgFXTNyXO6HhHophyfkuH2dDwkOk2+8feMorPWUvvK/csNTTlFMos xxQ6k/WSNIOlSWCOTvWIXriWedtPLqg9pLMC01B35TJnGKfnIBkxBREqk1B3A5jd rkLJpC1l8DtZXnJN3txNvg2v27QafqBYOUVtvyb/4cgEmfPQW/kDCi5asjZc48CI Mrg4Nsa4VfGDr+iKvkmxcW3Bazpx45Fdzw/qW2JnW9LrAbfVeGEzxHHcuK7fC6t4 9rKqSiSZWwFggmsNKF21VJ0NAUdDFosW3Zxu+p56QMLpKqJnBbFF85yj532M08R9 cGhtctu7YZtQUlw65CgYr92CyV8y9TCqHR7YeUKTv61WMRwv4/M1+JZC8JR/M/Sc bKvIXNI5m+wzG2NaTkafdbzu0Ds2gmAZ93pesunf1XrPQoR6ATum9JNtmAzzVXx6 Zhp/3ZzF8Lo0opI7eTjkUP0/y817Mp2+e4jvswR30G+XrkTp7tdHwE7Iex3RjPF1 w8ckq4NNW7t7VjfNL7VfJgKW941ASRbZdYygiolmh8tqQ3wqLeI99zcYrmw+3dpI 0jMhq2fW+JJb7neEdw9gF6MgWNSDk/q8pS27ROeZyVJZgGfX/HJX9i6hBHinkIsc Fj+janaVWjkbfg3OWLpcg7jDpgzl4O/HRNiFVjhTYYI2k4x6gASCJK4dub45/Bxi yYuzi3l6i/VEkFOw5PlmBd61j0k+LjVD5WZL864jcFAUk/WaDxL3EsVY0c06FXDV H0WW7jL5NfBStydQauWOYRmCsxNKZIVgegFTByWU7jYj7vtsDZ1IdE+JufTYXu8Z tr6OhkEga8N/GACGaRg4fLzEz5soPVT5/CTSa6WJK174cZpR/DKseqQ32k/cFgZD 2kPxTDd3yhlkssDsb+NSnPYJyExxelYuUN2K6TECojrrbUoerfzOy506qUGwPMCa +DFhFuDIYM2wSWJA5+zr7FUFn7kdXys7qWjXFy16EcgT/4MvgFbiwzdIowQNgW+7 aQLntfH9h2cLBEzUYSuimac/MxJq3IMvHQjkrDqZbHkXl3TIBWi0AvRpG/gLvkxJ ZPIUHVua1uWXJykxVh/5mVef9IBtVVlmesKd5pEKqQt/tY8/6z7quKMgikBFzs+k hDlFSGOhtJxdIlXONNVn6tKlfQ2yzycghwsFKfKP0vKbAWW9fK5wquWPcvQM8g1y 58wdkidoo1yBuQ1Ri8HfJ1goBVKv0uyyzbPI8uvnVaykEcH2dGEdDV8BWvKFOPU4 Lc1WVX1msrc7/0R1QxOFi4PBTHHfFUknGjbABUuGenWHeQEclJVR8wQdQ1rhWA3F YfUQ9Pv6nqYlLH18gqK/hLkN9bcTWalIVhFLdcJydLB46XjQSxga6dbmqyfWFUYl Fc1f7CoJlyQ7cj0+uiSSLHYdb2YBwYXOnQGsnTFd5Ynx+wHcBzysnGUp0X+KJNSV 8Mkozo73Y23EB9AYEXOgiidRoAANJZnY7kxM/pTEhJDIXMzqFDk9yqsZIdJsN86s 7B8XHKh9uLBd2VZGoGXLZh36LttEpmCdoGMhUuunvPbTnogv5HkF2S7aJp7Kqk4P Aip+6FoEl3JIFiTjZy68/Xqt2YgcIJs0mn89ZjQkXGWAor3u2Q8CuKaZKryEmPc3 43w1dziujnfZR/WNTZMMDAvscjWnCGudiyaG9oxSKR0bHSORannp9gD/W6et9GEL VFnoS1rHkEsnR8WDJOFGmvt5kADEEQnZfNQJRdMQpm93b2i9i8mkbHcoHMLJzpGM aQ3AbjWutu6cQJYoGgiZy2HHfOuCf8ZmEzXLI2rZ5MghABI7U7mWXarvI4NayUQE 2bBMDxCthaQSPA5YwM42Fow7RteZ+x1vC4xo/yBBm90hn83bwWF24QcA7bGJzUI4 2io8C6fiyPfEqYoItqM1f4TZVkd1r+DLwSDMYXJY0hfYEmIqU6xulK3l44Yw6Id3 rs+9AxQ/oPGdFen955mKVjXH3CSxH8/qXJKrauuDKFYjdZ0sM/+1So38FypX++lO +8d6qFvdOLnhjjP5bBEztTOo7nXhzCWRYXBzzU7oTccY74GUi+601BGVqtJ9E2+4 h++H9E0v/3lePn/jUEF8LUc4N7HB2BUxSWcKoqPIDw532NPEf9QYf/GmRJkT66F7 6lDoIUG6TNCfXAGu2oRGoJwe+7Tm9D/kdMSbpXQRkwMEGX/qh5QxSJB1cvJkbe2w dhNP3G1fTyO2LL0nxmN+RR5G/Lb82NOBsQXdkLqjAQMm4oNHhQsNNjFqzP2w0UJk 9OwQ3wR9lZlpisPegtn5lIxDBT5OZ84ZMwqjqV5sZgGequvJVdEp2ewMy91WVrY5 xdAWmGvxuS6hAf+tQ1Jmkg1JRdoWgYD1ug+lNnwIHZCtWcAohlFgTpYbUsVUK+Bv 5c/AbMMtm+JJ/rltjp8d/90aRMTEn68m4EeLaVIHYPrfLU0CZNYcwh3lczC+fbAV o5J6shY59Mf1WM5+w23vFt1ISSahzBtJHcX7FVp5zzuFCciB6ie3JPV5a2TAoyxn hgCrikgijeqlzub951f7XztCN9jYE/FeAp72xglAB97791M+O+xXWFZcbteBIip6 k2SyuA+2s5jVwBlzsOEBvH4Pgj75ogGxcyslolSN7I1m/PONRRzY4oCFs5KG/q0Y DssR9UcFeXwAgHdnIQe/6lcnzF+xscd59b/T0D6x+cEJ2sf3e1hmcySBlhBkFskN Fg3f2Q+Dji2QjTZO2XJshVgfHSxAXUYcIi3qex0ovJ6R97x/FgArFeLynhYIs6L5 Oz539JAk/zZltdFJG+F8yJWM2GyQiHv4/AQ/yDFvuzqHhG6UhFKs7ex56HQ94pAr L1mutMi2GT/UcBo1rydDMsn2V0cGciw8POT9gVu7nd4nPBINNFbVUYSnJORDkivl LninRm8cjBmLEU33Cyv5NUHArdv3LIXwgiVgvhk1vKeYeMmK+xHm+UwWMddem9dh 8UuK47bdU7YB3AVG8trscPadzCDkFHM9RVRsYJqPN1FE/NaYCPxpwkfLcNricvR2 M7OEt74cJjSsx7ZtOP5+x/IVL9O6CRHB+t3UeGUZcQq4nZff2IQDBB6U9sAFiO/o FqW8qzS8FrPF9lA1mjPcZ7+H/av/DsIa7ei5G/hea0S/3Okij1ZS2aIxMkSgmdlf KybWiph0pPDiBYsYgeR1Tk6pcS27r0d5y4EjAumCy1iKCoo2XtdyWYEUtqefa6oA 5mkKrOcs3ackZdsSwZafuARht8ZsST/9ojobLzCtBXTgXNi+Cg8aTThcK+wifN4C 0p5sN7lPg52gBksf9BTOqq7UtP5Nhn1ju7NWsnuRzxaprGzlWpvWM5duULOD+QHk 0y4z3hECY1RdDMSqSFx/s3E5fCbiSLjP6kZLzQWSkM96Uy06wOZjG1PClK0GsU2n =42HQ —–END PGP MESSAGE—–

I will adhd that each totals will proceed to beryllium calculated successful BTC connected that days mean if you neglect to comply pinch immoderate guidelines. Look guardant to thing much pleasant successful chat arsenic soon arsenic possible, best.

The postscript confirmed my belief he was blackmailing me, but I couldn’t fig retired more. He had made the accustomed correction of not formatting the PGP-encrypted connection arsenic a codification block, truthful it sewage wrapped. Even aft fixing that, the connection was invalid:

$ xclip -o | gpg --decrypt gpg: encrypted pinch 2048-bit RSA key, ID C47A3D09, created 2013-12-11 "jack0fnone <[email protected]>" gpg: decryption failed: concealed cardinal not available

It was encrypted to his nationalist key? I decided to play information hard-ass, to further the belief of guilt (surely an innocent personification would propose simply messaging for illustration normal group and not beryllium truthful paranoid):

Please usage that key. I don’t mean to beryllium rude, but if you cannot compartmentalize and travel basal opsec, location is thing that tin beryllium safely said.

I was a small amused astatine my roleplaying here: “safely said”? Anything we had to opportunity to each different could beryllium safely said successful the clear - I americium not DPR, truthful what do I care? I had to task an image of being method and high-status, since from reference galore station by DPR and Satoshi, I knew they ever said confidently and calmly. Regardless of my reasoning, this seemed to person the intended effect of lowering his position and he apologized for his error:

I apologize. I’ll admit my competency is acold from flawless. I seldom pass successful PGP. What was the nonstop issue, please? I will person a consequence fresh for you by greeting (your time).

His adjacent consequence was to supply his (malformed) nationalist key:

—–BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—– Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (MingW32)

mQENBFKolUIBCAC/6/TImZT60vCwGyXh+lWuWttrz1xeDnDyzTm3J2dXlsY6yy0f 58UmtmIHR99abm++jDPr1TcszC5u+Y/c+XICHzPDpkhqKfXmr4NhCkCDjZtmYNI9 4YLbwytaNWvMTbEupyT9SbiPTd//V3W4yuOvYhZKOQfEzcmT1hIcn65c5v93HD4R A7T6rmLoLjKQjccBBXOiRfw62CvU80CVlNiHkGeQYM/1Ym6DTPJkEdyQ4WU5g6d7 P9lCrvGvCQKpU+gVrjjdY4QVLMhdSTmGbogtMwFiEkDPmFB67g67m5nz+DQ+kzzE aTVmZj4OOWS6kUWivYR+0rqaZbDyrF7a7MP7ABEBAAG0JWphY2swZm5vbmUgPGph Y2swZm5vbmVAc2FmZS1tYWlsLm5ldD6JATkEEwECACMFAlKolUICGwMHCwkIBwMC AQYVCAIJCgsEFgIDAQIeAQIXgAAKCRC7IqugAkQU5et8B/43L6XCmbBw+8Fl7xk2 elXk2Q5h6FRVLnGKiPzbq5OBtKSaQlThDku6W6Pg2yWbeMGUWw4ZW8EaU/c0Mn68 oPILgYiydpbJOdn8L5Kju1GiGJl1RD1PCJpl+2iQXoRCptcazubSgDd4NcECr5QP DnGvAasRlHWrMITmWpy9zuIBWiuMzkzgJIRTp8cK+5JPCp36nWF4g41XIgzyLhR3 Z4Zt+YCndCnrYGRRsfMgGMSXGorIxPtJW/Ik5xTNNYOF1550476yaQWgY8I0kVa5R87DT 7Jtl9UcPPWiTTQud6l4YlCfChkPoKwYY6TEXW7vdvfsjOufbQSsPTnC40L2YA8oH Um0TuQENBFKolUIBCADDacxyZw8UzK7inJXIih33rNC9zPLyPemMhJQljjk8esZJ +Tj6zLKxD4BbwEZKxKApXZcqNHbDNbfA05mZzAnMvppLbptSVgKSADyTmvFu6wUC xLhT9DRTp7p4/MtUDupEyq3IvkbLY/AfuBSJfVxzBBpnO+jipLQSHVl09U4ov8R5 IJq6NaNlT6/33pA1frC6JfJumZSCLHDDX2AIuH9T6P8uQmIBy+Wne97A1zvEb4j0 ktKyjhaQ8oJFlkQhlJgEfS1XtQcfpGZo2wyWc63c4q8G4Sbu1S64Gl2EXKStPw14 7MQg0nDqbjDjTEXtJmurwIs4gRBvjDqPT2WlMp7VABEBAAGJAR8EGAECAAkFAlKo lUICGwwACgkQuyKroAJEFOU/Gwf/bYPZILFgpaxXsfX0944ZYHWQZN+x1s2/Sf8A DiG/6C4nkWyPVGRE/ee5RTaOE2DPCSyPmGxpk92+IGZ6aLNsxFcVanaqkrKgP3cZ V2MhJH5wV9rF3SFjQiaUktNitLh5OmwFfBRU6rmKP56i4nh+nz6az6tp2pFyhVtg TInfyAiXfL8klTIh/NkCdDy8pXlRS6SVTOLbECcB8cKtlfiGGccauE46dYhE502Q /vlJWWUjtVHm2AQ2DMQm2o/E3xuO+KmdMOqMAR5IkwZP0YevnXq44tNKrHbEJgL8 HB8yyBO+BblRBXSywPP9VYmKZjS3NFTzu+B0uRi4lwrp/OxQ3g== =kOch —–END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–

resolved?

No, not really… but I fixed it anyhow to import cardinal 024414E5: "jack0fnone <[email protected]>", and gave him an encrypted connection explaining the issues since he wasn’t figuring them retired for himself:

First, to usage PGP connected Reddit, it’s champion if you indent each statement by 4 spaces to sphere the newlines.

Second, the rumor is simply that reusing a azygous nationalist cardinal for everything is not safe. Public keys supply information and irrevocability: these are very useful successful immoderate contexts, but successful others, you want off-the-record properties and cleanable guardant secrecy. Casually utilizing a azygous cardinal for each communications intends that third-parties - specified arsenic rule enforcement - tin beryllium you signed each the communications, and likewise for receiving messages encrypted to your nationalist key. It’s for illustration linking addresses connected the blockchain: erstwhile you person done it, anyone pinch a transcript tin beryllium there’s a connection. Even if they cannot break the messages, that still offers postulation study and metadata. One measurement to mitigate this is to usage aggregate nationalist keys / identities, ideally 1 cardinal per correspondent: that way, if anyone gets a transcript of 1 key, they only decrypt that peculiar subset of messages.

This was each perfectly existent and the reasons why personification for illustration DPR would enactment arsenic I was acting. They conscionable had thing to do pinch why I was insisting connected PGP. Instructing group connected PGP usage tin beryllium tedious, but being diligent pinch sources has paid disconnected for maine successful the past, truthful 1 grins and bears it.

He replied pinch different malformed PGP-encrypted message… encrypted to his ain nationalist cardinal again:

—–BEGIN PGP MESSAGE—– Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (MingW32)

hQEMA4z9l03Eej0JAQgAwLpN8/6fwa403zDRudFXJijnz+j+9Y4TjbmNr8nwzn2X 1cLvYq9h+/QW2RF5yjMAFGZEtwi6GfasYzHlcZ7hN2hGa2m3gsNyxrAXzpOQwuXW UDqxrP5hTUXBlw3NWM71z5H8TrO7vdSWjyVjGdztL/fTsADbvsBEiC5CWGdnYbaK pvepFob4IYV/PGoWCVN4otORlcT7M+tkpMdx44pivV7Ivmu3nkYHf+kflP79lyH0 vA/awyKK+KeF02HhAFRXn8YjJb4sDwluuRSPG4lFYpUmUxVWfYmymPcVyX1fRFma w4nosA9GWsOkgijyrwov6R94MdViZ560DmzOzsF5b9LBPwHYt4OburhyR7F/1MbW BwY/lfQaFw7tu88yf9i43INXyTs17cX430EfacDnkn4KxGjHxNS8ngXVaoQz3h1j IGOt1j3r37tDgzQkBe6zOSsj53o95C/JUlQpS6ypmPMOOtRV6d5gtPC5Ufo8FtIb xIT4ma3rBWiOfjxu1WK3/baz8Tf8NWXM++Qf7iUHZLVpxZv7k9maddldw/ovFzzi H+rgnNIC+3L3V+nAxB746ihISymTjZgjvkPnQ6p60SPO3PHumCUEvI5eM+beMgX5 icSEnBghvlRN7CgMwSv77gSEe541v38KaPyeyDMVHJT16nODiDAFjHIqF+IskeOG HfOzMsyNGZEZhDCksdKJV3+ceWnknusaWu69+o+vgPxlJSBMd8uJjaRS9vbJJPjk VPeV5ZurJ1cjF6IiD2k+pZdFvDg3RbEO+Z6tlDtUYe0qK3kwAoWAatHF4uyqgXwC vfnByz314yeVV29c65fvCf0mQE3WoMa2IQ+v0+NjvSb8U0ahmIIggQxHYk/XqM0Y +dr++nRQuQfvFMOIqTmcNigonCcx/0nQsuSXq0tieUP2E1j6cR/LLjxjdEmfTplz 1RD/wtTV8L+bSHzz6yu/6kU05x04auHLPgOXp1JQ/CQz0x7V5NgIknJKGWpUqi9w o699ms6ZBFe/3Hq27rVO9Ws= =OUp/ —–END PGP MESSAGE—–

Let maine cognize if this is what you meant.

Helpfully, he followed up pinch a warning:

So we are clear, I would propose you attraction connected my first consequence alternatively than debar addressing the commentary. The requests are arsenic mentioned, very precise and without leniency owed to the clip delicate quality of this matter. I will time off this reminder decrypted, your clip is highly regarded successful each of this. Perhaps we’ll person the pleasance of exchanging formalities astatine immoderate much convenient point.

I mightiness do that if you hadn’t screwed up the encryption, Jack! By this constituent I was getting a small disappointment - if he can’t usage PGP, really apt is he to cognize thing worthy knowing? - but I persevered, and explained successful the clear to him:

No, I’m acrophobic that’s still not rather right. First, it’s easier if you format messages correct by indenting each statement by 4 spaces. As it is, 1 has to cautiously hole the connection by hand.

Second, your connection starting pinch hQEMA4 is still being encrypted to the incorrect key. When I look astatine it, I see:

$ xclip -o | gpg --decrypt gpg: encrypted pinch 2048-bit RSA key, ID C47A3D09, created 2013-12-11

While successful gpg --list-keys, the special-purpose cardinal appears as

pub 2048R/1A725E92 2013-12-11 [expires: 2015-12-11] uid No Fixed Point <temporary@universe>

C47A3D09!=1A725E92 - it’s encrypted to the incorrect key.

What you request to beryllium doing is thing on the lines of

$ feline message.txt | gpg --encrypt --armor --recipient 1A725E92

Specifying that 1A7/temporary is the target nationalist key.

His adjacent reply, thankfully, was decently formatted, and truthful I could import different nationalist cardinal (key 24E2A726: nationalist cardinal "russiatoday <russia@today>") without issue, and this clip decrypt his message, astatine slightest yielding his blunt connection of what he was after:

I admit the timeliness of your response.

First and foremost compensation, of course.
Secondly, I will supply a clear synopsis of the timeline that will unfold for your maximum 7 time emergency extension.

Invoice: Satoshi Nakamoto

Payment Due Date: 12/11//13

Payment Address: 19f7evHC6Et3VK9F5KGjJ2tYECo3seLFkU

Payment Amount TOTAL: 1933phfhK3ZgFQNLGSDXvqCn32k2buXY8a

My thought? An absolute bargain tonight, considering each successful reserves.

Penalties for nonaccomplishment to make costs by December 11th will correlate to an activation of crisis-extension that will transportation liking arsenic presented:

+Day 1-3 $375,274,812.04$250,000,3242013 per day

+Day 4-6 $751,035,493.24$500,324,3242013 per day

+Day 7 $1,987,939,671.17$1,324,324,324.322013 owed date

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After we person managed to settee our negotiations I’ll beryllium gladsome to talk everything successful much detail; specifically this projects formalities arsenic should beryllium expected (great conception to incorporated morganatic tangibility and a broader structural foundation).
Let’s not disregard the tremendous measures that person been taken for the greater bully and to unafraid a much unchangeable future. However, the awesome timeline I’ve archived and the countless stories and falsifications that astatine this constituent are
indisputably meticulous tin beryllium fed successful the astir creator mode yet to the editors of the NYTimes, HuffPo, Bloomberg, etc. successful a timely manner (we stock a passion for expression, among different things I’ve noticed). Not to get excessively entangled successful my
ideas astatine the infinitesimal but I will opportunity that I transportation guardant a very optimistic outlook from your past consequence Gwern; guidance is simply a stupid thing! I will corroborate that moreover my liking charges are incredibly generous considering the magnitude of
evidence coupled pinch the scope of…well you already know. I don’t attraction to beryllium condescending, discrediting, aliases moreover somewhat threatening from this constituent guardant if it hasn’t already travel to your senses. I do nevertheless person a scheme I will
enact pinch aliases without you, my information is evident and your ingenuity is thing I will successful nary mode place truthful agelong arsenic you proceed to guidelines connected the other broadside of this good guarded fence. This ecosystem tin beryllium good tuned with
more than 1 outlook. Your deficiency of subject and disengaged consciensce is telling astatine this constituent successful time. I digress, and for illustration to adjacent connected this past note. If the surety successful my lawsuit isn’t presented good capable I will gladly show his majesty the daylight
(once again). However I ideate you’re willing successful correcting this rumor immediately. These are successful fact, absolute terms. Should this accusation neglect to make itself clear I deliberation you’ll person the opportunity to do much than conscionable explaining yourself.

The rightful ending present reads:
Gwern connected brink of second…chance?
Cheers to thing much and thing less.

*This concludes the timeline of events that will follow. I’d besides for illustration to convey you for not making the flagrant determination of disavowing successful precocious I for 1 ne'er intend to blemish your estimation nor resistance my ain into this utter mess.
For that, location is simply a grade of respect that I request to uphold amongst america and moreover much importantlly a level of assurance that guarantees your concerns will beryllium considered (provided location is simply a solution attached).
However you would for illustration to computate the veracity of this connection is your choice, proceed pinch be aware if the mathematics doesn’t adhd up successful your favor. This I would opportunity will beryllium a very unsocial and memorable clip successful some our lives.
I impulse you to region your different pending tasks, and return the clip to meditate earlier you see striking the worst personification imaginable aliases acting irrationally retired of fear. This is each conscionable a passing breeze successful the expansive strategy of things–that we some understand.

For the liking of starting anew. I’ve conscionable restated my claims nether a caller key, I dream to perceive backmost pinch thing of adjacent value.

Also convey you for that mentation I’ve only conscionable started moving Kali arsenic of recently.

Wow. I was wrong: Jack didn’t deliberation I was DPR, aliases SR staff. He thought I was Satoshi Nakamoto. Wow. Leaving speech the basal issues pinch the mentation (like really I don’t cognize C++, person small familiarity pinch cryptocurrencies anterior to Bitcoin, surely wouldn’t beryllium surviving my existent manner if I had Nakamoto’s estimated ₿800,000, could hardly programme Java erstwhile Nakamoto was starting to activity connected Bitcoin successful 200620ya etc.), this instantly raised reddish flags arsenic being megalomaniac, grandiose, and providing precisely zero difficult grounds astir anything. I person done a small investigation connected Nakamoto myself, and location is thing Jack could person recovered successful Nakamoto’s inheritance which would necktie him to me, and that meant it was highly improbable I could study thing of worth from Jack and I had wasted my time.

On the different hand… really heavy did this rabbit spread go? If he thought I was Nakamoto, what connected world led him to him to specified a profoundly erroneous conclusion? I admit to a definite liking successful diseased reasoning (one of my favorite books is Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum and I bask reference psychology books for illustration Oliver Sacks’s), and Jack mightiness person a uncommon gem of conspiracy theorizing if I could but extract it from him. And his purple prose is hilarious (what, does he deliberation he’s Moriarty aliases something?) So, a challenge: could I provoke him into revealing his hand?

Hello again. Hopefully this cardinal useful this time. Since you’ve been truthful benignant arsenic to put up pinch my crypto-nitpicking and fixed the timeline you’ve set, I will beryllium blunt: I deliberation you are bluffing me.

I deliberation that you do not person a coagulated lawsuit that I americium Satoshi, and that you are hoping I will salary you a ample sum which will beryllium I americium Satoshi either by its tremendous size aliases by requiring coins from aggregate blocks mined successful 200917ya, astatine which constituent you will some beryllium exceedingly able and besides capable to beryllium you recovered Satoshi.

So I do not scheme to salary you 1933phfhK3ZgFQNLGSDXvqCn32k2buXY8a without much evidence, and really, you should person supplied much arsenic you are asking a sum which moreover a billionaire cannot salary without pausing to deliberation cautiously for a while. If you want this to move forward, you will request to beryllium much forthcoming.

This provoked an astonishing torrent from Jack

At this constituent it’s very straightforward, I speak arsenic an honorable man erstwhile I opportunity what you person conspired to execute thus
far is thing incredibly brilliant. For amended aliases worse I deliberation your business has evolved into thing wholly unfitting
I speak arsenic personification approaching this chat pinch capable grounds to extradite you and time off your parliament blushing.
Can I beryllium frank successful asking really you could perchance dignify a consequence without having capable clip to see the delusions
of grandeur that person brought you to 1 knee astatine this point? A 2nd grader tin mean this existent stat–whatever you
may want to title it. I’m genuinely unphased. I’m successful statement pinch the truth that BMR should beryllium down earlier adjacent year, make it
happen. Similarly, pandora, SR 2.0. DeepDotWeb, Theymos, Jezuzwazamushroom, Theymos, VolanicEruptor, MartianMan,
BTCOlympus, BTCMiners,TATInvestments, ASICMINERS, PEERCOIN, Cryptsy, ZETACOIN, Kswingmang, Fontas, functionoverfunction,
godfreeee, QuarkCoin, INFINTIYCOIN, PRIMECOIN, BTC-E, LOCALBTC, BLOCKCHAIN.INFO, Satoshi-DICE. You’ve centralized
the 1 point that we each committedness to beryllium decentralized successful the astir brilliant measurement successful my opinion, and your astatine a bully pace.
You person this tenacity to support the communicative going, but unluckily for you this is wherever my luck, relentless graphical/textual
analysis, preparation, life-ending soiled scams and immoderate information from my beautiful girlfriends each tied up the case-load I person connected hand.

With grace, I extremity dignifying you from this constituent forward. I request not different unfortunate business of this benignant successful my life since you
don’t know, truthful prosecute this arsenic you will, but I person a clear advantage. I person the man that tin show the grandest communicative of them all. Unfortunately,
it’s 1 you won’t perceive until you take to judge that my volition fails successful your eyes because it is purer than yours and unrevealed. I person Ross
and Tomas arsenic immense news acknowledgment to you, you are the problem and the solution, you time off nary chromatic unturned but a unspeakable way of statistic and unequivocal
impression nether immoderate sanction you truthful take to adopt. It’s not rather the triumph you would really cipher it to beryllium to personification seeing the
environment correct this moment. But arsenic I person said, your communicative stops erstwhile your news stops, and well, erstwhile each past characteristic dies retired of
this play and overmuch of the life you’ve clevely built falls silent. Lately, I’ve enjoyed tuning successful to each your stories daily.

You’ve jeopordized yourself astatine this constituent for reasons you tin fare to conjecture these adjacent 7 days arsenic agelong arsenic you would like. Even a billionaire would person that
problem you say? Let’s beryllium straight-forward I could information you up and bring you down faster than that difficult connected Keiser was showing a period backmost and your clever
pump that now has maine deciding if I for illustration a half and half operation of LTC/BTC. I cannot moreover statesman to ideate the hellhole I will bring pinch the connections
I’ve managed to prolong complete the people of this crazy life, but astatine this infinitesimal and for the clip that will come, my manus is reaching retired successful beforehand directing
itself astatine you pinch the utmost respect. I person worked years unsocial building legitimacy only to spot this mediocre scheme and disastrous occurence resulting from
Danny and your crippled Zip-Zap project–or alternatively soon to be; that is if I’m truthful inclined to disspell my knowledge to the likes of immoderate very good positioned government
officials successful my network. I cognize Ross would admit immoderate Justice astatine this point, and I’m unclear of whether this is each passable to you without immoderate reconsideration in
strategy. Pathetic if you inquire me. I would opportunity that the count originates now, bc you’re going obscurity pinch the tight grip I will support connected you from this constituent forward.
It serves you to see that astatine this point, since I don’t springiness a crap that you’re Satoshi clearly, I conscionable want to beryllium 100% successful statement that my imaginable System Administrator/Advisor
will beryllium competent and committed successful disassembling astir each of the existent ideas that you person successful your manus (and connected table), and replacing their infamy pinch the imaginable of
rebuilding 3rd world economies to standard which was ne'er imaginable before. This is successful truth a caller paradigm shift.

So we’re clear, my wealthiness that you speak of is the wealthiness that I will usage to propel this full thought of yours guardant pinch your mentoring I would hope. I don’t attraction for your highly
questionable riches for the liking of burning you astatine the liking truthful please don’t suffer slumber there. If I had the volition to put you retired (not simply for being Satoshi), I would statesman on
the 8th time arsenic I person specified. With a afloat prepared bid of embarrassing connections and revealings that it would ruin you successful a measurement I can’t spot beneficial. You have
always had a batch to connection the world Gwern, only a fool would deliberation otherise. What bully would you beryllium sitting successful Ross’s spot astatine this point? I’m not present for an
autograph, conscionable cognize that I will discretely onslaught astatine opportunity, whether you take to spot the worth successful presenting it to maine is simply a consequence that I would astir certainly
say will jeopordize each past dream you will ever person of recounting a communicative pinch rather the glory and respect you’ve rightfully achieved to day now that the past time of your life begins.

My evidence? I’m present to information up a small little than half of your billions successful loot by time 7. Where does this time off you? This leaves you again arsenic the dutiful writer of this tale.
It would service america good to cooperate connected the ground that your crypto fantaticism and stored wealthiness ceases to mean thing arsenic of this moment. You are delusional, and good more
unstable than I thought you were if our past words extremity here, but I will guarantee you that we person only conscionable transverse paths, I dislike ever ending connected “for amended aliases worse”.
I cognize this isn’t a bet you singed up for, but I’m unphased by your doubts. There is simply a batch you’re missing successful this picture, I impulse you to not jeopordize everything for something
that successful each applicable senses should clasp nary existent worth erstwhile you’re not fantasizing astir thing for illustration buying a bitcoin land and are faced pinch the abrupt tremble of a hope
that guarantees you nary early aliases spot anywhere. This closing is to the chance that we’ll soon meet connected bully terms, and that your hesitation isn’t successful whether my secrecy is honorable.

A stain connected my estimation is of nary liking to me, I would expect the aforesaid from you. We person a world of anticipation aft today, I consciousness arsenic if each the information I’ve compiled puts maine all-in astatine this point.
Not because this is simply a crippled of proof, but because this is still warfare and I understand precisely really this will each play out. Let’s retrieve that location is nary declaring bakruptcy present erstwhile your times up.
Maybe you request clip to fabricate the communicative of this (rather small) movement, but see the build up successful interests. Idk, but I judge dream I’ve made myself clear arsenic a crystal. Make judge you do your math
because my count states that your obligations should beryllium reaching the 400,000 BTC people soon, bully luck and I dream you don’t expect immoderate further responses.

Remain unconvinced? I dream these very insignificant specifications springiness you acold much penetration into conscionable really overmuch much I americium holding onto. I americium poised to beryllium viral my awesome Nigerian Prince, why not mend a existent relationship instead?

I’ll cheque backmost successful connected present successful 1 week Gwern, I cognize you are a man of your word–as americium I.

What americium I moreover saying? At this point, I’ll beryllium eagerly checking successful to spot conscionable really you things will adhd up. Now I dream you don’t deliberation you’ll sway maine into immoderate much delirium you deliberation I should validate earlier moving guardant pinch this. I request to get precocious and relax, this hunt has officially ended pinch ABSOLUTE certainty connected my part, I cognize the correct minds will autumn into statement pinch me.

I was flabbergasted. I hadn’t moreover heard of half of the names he gave successful the first paragraph, aliases the others (eg. ZipZap is apparently thing to do pinch Ripple, and I had to do immoderate searching to study moreover that). Forget the complete absence of the grounds I asked for, this seemed for illustration it was written by personification successful the throes of full-blown psychosis aliases mania aliases schizophrenia pinch meaningless plans to someway revolutionize the world. (But to springiness Jack his due, immoderate of his lines are hilarious: everyone should person a pet parliament which tin beryllium near blushing!) I do not person overmuch acquisition dealing pinch crazy people, truthful I gave the matter immoderate much thought earlier I replied the adjacent day.

12 December

I still hadn’t fixed up connected getting the reasons he thought I was Satoshi (or immoderate of the different names he mentioned), truthful I decided to play on pinch the penning style and request grounds and constituent retired his threat to spell nationalist successful a fewer days while mocking him arsenic due (since politeness seems futile):

As you say, I americium the writer of my ain tale, immoderate collaborators whitethorn induce themselves successful to scribble connected the parchment. I person publication done your suggested emendations, and I person recovered it wanting for adding to my communicative a agelong section flashing backmost and explaining really I invented Bitcoin years agone and recontextualizing each events since: location is nary supporting detail, nary successful usage of Chekhov’s guns aliases foreshadowing aliases clues fixed previously, the crippled twist is implausible and trope-heavy, the penning lugubrious and strained. I’m acrophobic I must cull your submission arsenic requiring galore much revisions and drafts, and I wish you the champion of luck successful uncovering an editor who will thief bring it up to snuff.

I do look guardant to your study successful 8 days, however. While you are not up to pro levels of doxing and you whitethorn aliases whitethorn not person a gift for it (the impervious is successful the pudding), I americium ever consenting to publication and springiness feedback connected a well-intentioned amateur’s works. So, until then! I convey you for a astir amusing evening.

I was disappointed astatine his reply later that day:

“While you are not up to pro levels of doxing”

Gwern…you neglect to recognize that I americium not simply trying to beryllium you’re Satoshi (that’s the prize they prove). I stopped having to beryllium thing astir 2 weeks agone erstwhile I recovered the full reply successful a bid of mistakes not you but 1 that personification other truthful stupidly committed and each sits still for the full world to grow upon. The load of impervious everlastingly lies pinch you Gwern, the defense. You person fabricated respective murders. More of my interest honestly, is that Ross is rotting successful a compartment pinch everyone other oblivious to your mastermind role. I don’t attraction to scope retired to the editors anytime soon hence why I was clear astir being friends a mates of months down the road. I americium thing but an amateur and this is not immoderate made-up game. I person approached you because the impervious is shaking, really agelong it will return to extradite you is thing I carnivore nary interest for. I will make nevertheless make judge that earlier you are locked distant for the atrocities you person unabashedly committed today, I person the awesome pleasance of seeing you swallow specified a harsh and unnecessary reality.

For explanation this was simply a reverse dox that started good astir a period agone but stretches backmost rather immoderate time, each you’ve done is springiness this pending national lawsuit build-up the spot successful each the areas which it lacked. You will beryllium reference complete “my analysis” moreso that of experts if you ever find the clip to respire from the life you’ve accepted arsenic of today. How does the communicative of the fool and his money end? I forget.

I admit your ego. Best of luck pinch the small early that’s left. Since we person some expressed our concerns arsenic good arsenic the steps we will return I want it to beryllium clear that I will not beryllium turning backmost from this constituent and this full Ponzi Scheme on pinch these amateur assumptions of excavation will stay neatly compiled successful this “fog” of a lawsuit we’ve acknowledged does exist.There is nary cryptographic veil nether a bid of semi-uniformed pseudo-anonymous transactions that will protect you from immoderate of this accusation erstwhile released, aliases did you deliberation I would beryllium truthful foolish to show up pinch the presumption that I beryllium you immoderate mentation that mightiness really let you to return due counter-measures?

You person proven clip and again really overmuch you emotion consequence and probability, and truthful this among different things will service arsenic a measurement to intelligibly beryllium to you that consequence and probability sometimes person nary reasonable aliases predictive result erstwhile the underlying plus is arsenic revealing (or unrevealing successful mistake) arsenic I person chosen to be. I mean, I couldn’t thief but laughter aft reference your Death Note. I wanted to make this task absorbing for myself, this research is conducted connected thebasis that your expertise to cipher this result is and ever was going to extremity successful full disaster.

You will study successful short clip and without immoderate chance of dismissing the point, that I americium 1 of the astir calculated and organized individuals you will person ever insulted successful your life. Specifically that my intelligence astatine hand, successful fact, exceeded yours by an bid that is arsenic expected is unimaginable.

Some resolutions incorporate wrong themselves small to nary grounds of a satisfiable answer. Especially erstwhile the stakes are incredibly bully for me, and terribly tragic for you. My adjacent measurement is the FBI and a individual sojourn to Ross’s lawyer arsenic we statesman tearing done each of the compiled evidence.

Remember that cruise you wanted to return retired of New York successful a mates of weeks aft break? That ferrari you wanted to buy? I impulse you to dainty yourself to these treasurable memories earlier this each hits the crushed astatine afloat speed. I recognize that I still support the generous lead to hide this hatchet truthful by each intends beryllium successful fear, boast, aliases knock me; I deduce the top pleasance from your exhaustive technicalities considering the circumstances.

Your delusions of grandeur are unreasonable truthful until we person the existent displeasure of crossing paths, Gwern Branwen, I wish for you a life afloat of difficult learned lessons. My connection stands until the day specified, bully riddance Satoshi/Sunny, and whitethorn the astir noble man utilization the other.

More threats, much deficiency of details, much grandiosity, and he’s expanded his claimed specifications - who is Sunny? (Apparently a reference to Sunny King, creator of absorbing altcoins Peercoin & Primecoin, readers suggest.) What connected world is this “reverse dox” he talks about? Why did he reference my Death Note essays (and which one, anyway, Death Note Anonymity aliases “Who Wrote the Death Note script?”?)? I person nary liking successful a Ferrari, and I do not unrecorded successful New York astatine the moment, and I sincerely uncertainty that Ross Ulbricht’s lawyer Brandon LeBlanc has received immoderate sojourn from Jack. He is still penning for illustration a crazy person, to my disappointment. But location are immoderate rhetorical gems of purple prose successful present that punctual maine why I led Jack on: I could ne'er person written a statement for illustration “my intelligence astatine hand, successful fact, exceeded yours by an bid that is arsenic expected is unimaginable.”. An bid arsenic expected arsenic it is unimaginable! The mind reels.

I indulged myself pinch further insult (and immoderate Umineko nary Naku Koro ni allusions since I was starting to consciousness a small for illustration Beatrice) successful my reply:

Dear Author: arsenic your astir dedicated reader, I perused the latest installment of your ongoing serial pinch utmost interest, yet I felt someway disappointed erstwhile I came to the end. Meta-fiction is simply a difficult genre to activity successful and requires a deft hand; successful particular, 1 must not group up excessively galore subplots aliases Chekhov guns that 1 cannot yet resolve, peculiarly successful the orthodox enigma genre wherever the scholar does expect the Decalogue to beryllium followed and a solution to exist. Given the prolonged hold successful the last uncover and continued monologuing from the evident villain character, I americium concerned that the ending will yet beryllium a bull out, pinch possibly immoderate cliche solution for illustration “it was each a dream” aliases “it was each drug-induced paranoia” aliases “it was a bluff”. If so, a scholar mightiness justly consciousness betrayed and surely not springiness the communicative a affirmative reappraisal successful the Strand.

I spot location are 7 days near earlier the promised denouement. I look guardant to an intellectual, yet elegant game. Sincerely, your reader

13 December

Jack’s consequence came promptly the adjacent day:

I support my position; yet again:

1. Solutions for this problem do beryllium (with precision).

2. Fortunately, I americium a man of my connection earlier a man of principle.

3. I conjecture you missed the portion wherever this crippled ended?

Why not find a clever measurement to debar the problem successful its entirety?
I 100% person nary volition of hiding from you. That wallet is simply a caller commencement Gwern.

I connection a solution to guarantee that this does not hap again, including a thorough
explanation of everything I person compiled from this infiltration that led maine to my
certainty. Is that not enough? Consider each different committedness I person made and
appreciate that I made it to you earlier an highly competent expert devoting the
time to this lawsuit did. I guarantee you this is simply a mini value to salary for an confederation of sorts,
the probability of having immoderate magnitude of luck successful aligning specified a strategy successful immoderate other
lifetime earlier falling prey to correction is thing truthful improbable that moreover reaching
out to immoderate stealth assassination marketplace you whitethorn aliases whitethorn not person constructed is of a
little worthy successful a clip framework of 7 days erstwhile I’m underground for the sole purpose.
You understand wherever this is going, you besides recognize that I’m a amended friend than foe,
and so, I deliberation alluding to Checkuv’s weapon is simply a sad reflection of your full downfall at
this point. I will show you really this crippled ended to explain immoderate misconceptions…I gave you
a time-stamp and it’s up to you to put a value connected your freedom, and the necessary
trust that you must person for me. I would beryllium consenting to play connected your terms, but first you accept
mine that person been clear. I will reiterate, location is nary different communicative I will tell, we tin beryllium on
track arsenic soon arsenic you take to spot really easy it is to haunt maine successful the nonstop aforesaid manner,
as a position of respect I person encrypted this for you. I americium rather offended by immoderate of the
accusations you are making, but I do not judge successful specified stupidities. We stock common
ground successful that we are highly passionate and person an unwavering condemnation successful our
tone erstwhile dealing pinch certainty beyond what others will declare conspiracy. Even more
so erstwhile we power the absolute early of the story.

I’ll close, again, pinch the certainty that immoderate guidance will surely beryllium your demise astatine this point.
This you understand is timed, and I can’t work together coming is the 7th day, it is really the 6th day.
As such, I americium definite location is simply a punishment applied to the total. You tin extremity this increase
by making that first deposit astatine immoderate time. After which, I will beryllium judge to interaction you again
from a different relationship to a connected pseudonym (OPSEC purposes) to proceed this critical
discussion. If this is not agreeable, past I contend that you will astir surely beryllium the adjacent big
story for the full world but not earlier your sanction is dragged successful the ungraded and you’re tortured
for your unearthly possessions by immoderate rogue squad wondering really connected world they missed you.

If this doesn’t make it clear really everything will travel aft this connection past I fearfulness for
the unfortunate authorities of limbo you will beryllium surviving erstwhile you perceive the news break of a
shocking find and a full reversal successful Ross’ pending lawsuit including the specifications that
will surely person your sanction everywhere, nary acknowledgment to me. I will beryllium watching that address
and pursuing your obligations I will proceed to beryllium a man of my connection if you truthful take to start
treating maine pinch the respect I intelligibly deserve. If you should disregard everything I will beryllium back
to cod the basal accusation and adjacent the lawsuit successful the nonstop manner I person explicitly
mentioned. Do not fuss to constitute back, I will beryllium connected hiatus for immoderate clip it takes. I suggest
you either get a very bully lawyer astatine this constituent aliases get your caput retired of your ass. Your succeeding
responses only wounded your pockets among different things, I committedness that to beryllium 100% meticulous if you
plan connected fixing everything.

Until adjacent clip I will beryllium vigilant and honoring our each move Gwern.

19f7evHC6Et3VK9F5KGjJ2tYECo3seLFkU

I’m your very worst problem correct now, I conscionable dream you drawback that I person the very champion intentions for you and truthful wish you well, but besides person adjacent capacity to make this life a very useless 1 for you if you cannot travel to the correct conclusions.

Good bye for now Gwern.

I was a small amused by the insinuation that I was the Sanjuro moving “Assassination Market” and by Jack’s continued precocious self-esteem (“an highly competent analyst” nary less!), but otherwise, this was getting boring: Jack’s threats were moreover cruder than before, and his claims moreover little credible. I remarked that his writings sounded crazy, but he’s kept it up agelong capable and made capable unsupported accusations I’m opening to wonder: possibly Jack really is crazy, and not simply an immature teen aliases drunk connected the imaginable of gaining millions of dollars aliases adopting a persona aliases trying to foil stylometric study aliases bluffing maine connected the off-chance I americium Satoshi (the threats are risk-free aft all2) aliases immoderate of the different possibilities I had been considering. Paranoid schizophrenia? Bipolar upset successful a manic phase? Something much exotic? I effort ne'er to indulge successful ad hominems because it’s acold excessively tempting to constitute interlocutors disconnected arsenic lazy, stupid, aliases crazy - but crazy group do exist, aft all. Thinking astir it more, Jack whitethorn beryllium the first crazy personification I person earnestly dealt pinch astatine magnitude connected the Internet. Oh, I’ve seen plentifulness of crazy group online - I’ve laughed astatine Time Cube, I’ve looked complete Hacker News’s Losethos (with a consciousness of ‘there but for the grace of god’), I’ve watched different group reason pinch crazy group - but I deliberation I’ve either ne'er really dealt pinch them aliases quickly flipped the bozo spot connected them and disengaged. Under normal situations, connected normal topics, I person nary logic to talk pinch them astatine magnitude and grandiloquence is unjustified….

Arguably, the 20% chance is overmuch excessively high, moreover interpreting it arsenic a nett probability that Satoshi would beryllium able, willing, and really pay: it seems improbable that 1 could constitute up a convincing extortion statement for that galore group aliases that a calm observant personification for illustration Satoshi could beryllium easy bluffed. In summation to the overestimate and debased hourly wage, the variance of return would beryllium virtually lottery-like and not a bully idea. On the different hand, “400 cardinal people” is itself thing of a worst-case since you could astir apt presume Satoshi is antheral to halve it, and past presume he is simply a C++ programmer to trim it down to possibly nether a cardinal people, which massively decreases the denominator.

At slightest portion of the problem present is that successful the crazy reflector onshore of the blackmarkets and Bitcoin successful general, sanity is difficult to separate from insanity, location really are cardinal bits of accusation random parties tin have, not everyone talks straight, blackmail does payoff, and location really are hidden millionaires & billionaires stepping astir successful plain sight. (As an illustration of the mirrors of insanity, I induce anyone to publication the Silk Road 2 forums and effort to fig retired what was going connected successful December 201313ya - spell and publication the SSBD/Inigo/Libertas, the DPR2 cardinal rotation, the Cirrus announcement, Raoul’s quoted connection from DPR2, the posts by Defcon, the ‘accidental’ entree to the admin forum, Eiley Ormsby’s comments, Oracle’s insinuations, the TorMarket quote from the vendor forum, etc., and parse it into a azygous coherent sane narrative. And see what Satoshi’s estimated luck is astatine immoderate moment.)

If Jack is crazy, should I beryllium talking to him astatine all? He probably knows nothing, specified logic would not person him, and it seems for illustration the incorrect point could provoke him into immoderate benignant of regrettable action. And it’s not for illustration I tin do thing to help, he’s practiced reasonably bully opsec arsenic acold arsenic I could tell. But… I did bask penning different reply mocking him again and rubbing his chemoreceptor successful his nonaccomplishment to supply immoderate evidence:

A scholar could hardly inquire for a much elaborate consequence from their favourite fictional author! But I fearfulness you became truthful wrapt successful your improvised capacity you wholly neglected the original goal: providing immoderate grounds whatsoever of your claims. Zero. How tin you perchance expect maine aliases anyone to earnestly see giving you truthful overmuch arsenic a azygous bitcoin based connected your logorrhea and cryptic threats? Even mean blackmailers astatine slightest do their victims the courtesy of proving they person what they declare to have. You look oddly offended that I moreover inquire alternatively than salary up immediately. This is conducive to 1 conclusion, arsenic I stated astatine the opening of our enjoyable small correspondence: that you are bluffing and you successful nary wise person the damning grounds you declare to have.

I look guardant to the accusation astir Ross, your impervious that I americium Satoshi, the altcoin material, and the galore different fascinating things you person alluded to. Don’t disappoint me, Jack! If you tin supply a bully lawsuit for immoderate of that, it will beryllium the bestest Christmas gift ever!

Seriously, for each you opportunity I’m a genius, you must deliberation I’m a moron.

I must not person provoked him arsenic good arsenic I thought, because his reply was the remarkably laconic:

Godspeed.

Zut! Perhaps an insulting pun?

So. I conjecture you don’t cognize jack.

Ah, that sewage much of a consequence from Jack:

I do! I cognize that I promised this was going to beryllium the worst correction of your life Gwern. This will besides beryllium the worst Christmas of your life since you’re truthful seemingly optimistic.

I’ll beryllium closing this relationship now.

And indeed, the jack0fnone Reddit relationship was deleted.

But did the Jack saga extremity there? No. Fortunately (or unfortunately), connected 8:57PM EST 2013-12-13, I received a connection from the Reddit personification satoshispudding:

[“update”]

Dearest Nate, I conscionable wanted to do you the courtesy of passing this connection connected successful a timely fashion. I recognize
that we had made an arrangement, and to that extremity I consciousness arsenic if you’ve made the evident determination to motion disconnected the guilt.
Therefore, I want to explain that the owed day specified will beryllium null and void upon finishing this message. For times sake!

My advice? Skipping past the authorities and the flashy caller opportunities you’ve worked to secure; I deliberation your parents
will consciousness astir deserving of a telephone that will lightly touch connected the implications of the cases you’re astir to beryllium dragged
through. Perhaps a telephone to Matt is successful bid arsenic well? How’s Silver Productions doing??? I can’t judge that immoderate of them
will spot the delicate aliases creator broadside of immoderate of these projects.

Obviously, you will beryllium informing them that this play is 1 of the past weekends you will person to bask arsenic a free man.
Do besides pass them that you person commmitted immoderate very unspeakable crimes against your state and against humanity.
Any chance of seeing LF arsenic a safe-haven for status is now gone (duh), and the Silver sanction that they’ve worked so
hard to sphere will successful truth beryllium tainted (among truthful galore different things) earlier the caller twelvemonth gets immoderate lead astatine all.

Oh the awesome pleasance it would bring maine to make thing much ethical of this speech by shaking hands successful front
of Reid Hall (GO CAXY’S!) now that mightiness person been thing memorable, but I can’t ideate this speech brings you
any benignant of restitution whatsoever.

The caller timeline I will group for the starting day of your astir miserable days you’ve travel to cognize them is 12/16/201313ya.

Your outstanding indebtedness astatine existent is $975,713,246.77$650,000,0002013 and successful conscionable a fewer hours clip (~1.5) it will person surpassed a worth of
$1,726,261,898.13$1,150,000,0002013 according to the dates and specifications I’ve outlined (without immoderate costs received yet). I anticipate
that you are still untraceable, innocent, and supra all, I americium still an “amateur” pinch thing to prove. For that very reason,
I americium making it clear that I’ve reached a caller level of disagreement and dissatisfaction successful our coming negotiations; I hope
that my adjustments arsenic good arsenic clear opinionated position passim the people of this resoluteness is suggestive of my clear
intentions erstwhile we’ve settled. If not, past your greed and clear inability to make the correct determination to fold, will ensure
that you’ve settled your aggregate debts successful an situation that we some cognize is acold little accomodating and stimulating.

I spot it wise to spot that we’re not truthful different Nate, return this mini nonaccomplishment into relationship and make thing much of it
with my help. Calling maine crazy, considering everything that I’ve promised will autumn connected you is not the astir brilliant
move to make. In immoderate case, you opportunity the impervious is successful the pudding! I dream you’ve swallowed your information and genuinely feel
that I’m acold much prepared than you antecedently assumed. For the past clip I americium present choosing to connection thing more
beneficial for some of us. You person bigger things connected your sheet to grip correct now, I work together pinch that much. Since this story
is definite to alteration it’s people astatine this point, I judge dream you’re prepared to woody pinch the consequences of your decisions if
we should still stay successful disagreement Nate.

Oh, travel connected - now I’m expected to beryllium Nate Silver‽ This is conscionable excessively absurd: Silver is simply a engaged man who travels the state and writes books and is perpetually analyzing sports (a taxable I person adjacent to zero liking in). Nor americium I arsenic bully astatine statistic arsenic Silver is. (One day…) I must beryllium rather the mensch to support each these plates spinning and personas moving - “Christ, what an imagination I’ve got!”

A threat to telephone ‘my’ parents aliases ‘Matt’ (no thought who that is) is hardly a threat to me. I americium judge Jack did not telephone them anymore than he met pinch Ulbricht’s lawyer. More pathological megalomania and lying. Jack has issues, but I americium not qualified to opportunity what they are and nary measurement to intervene, sadly. Is it civilized to support arguing pinch a nut? Mightn’t it nurture their delusions or, successful distant scenarios, spur them into violence? Jack had fixed nary grounds that they had recovered my existent identity, truthful I was nary longer worried for my ain sake, but Silver is simply a nationalist fig who could beryllium located and attacked.

Wondering astir whether I should yet bring his monologuing to a halt, I chickened retired and repeated my erstwhile connection pinch a tweak:

I look guardant to the truth astir DPR, your impervious that I americium Satoshi and Nate Silver, the exchanges I americium the mastermind, and the galore different fascinating things you person alluded to. Don’t disappoint me, Jack! If you tin supply a bully lawsuit for immoderate of that, it will beryllium the bestest Christmas gift ever!

14 December

On 9:33 PM, I was graced pinch different connection from satoshispudding:

LOL it was successful the sanction of keeping each spirits lifted truthful I dream you tin understand that I respect a bully nights slumber (also get bored). You intelligibly merit it since you were foolish capable to bet distant your freedoms consecutive done into the cardinal marker. What will your woman opportunity erstwhile this each gets going Gwern?

I deliberation you misunderstood me. I made it clear that the grounds I person demonstrates that you person collaboratively been operating respective illicit marketplaces, are orchestrating an unmentionable magnitude of scams connected bitcointalk.org, and operating businesses that are laundering BILLIONS successful each of this scam/pre-mined money passim the world; specifically the US, Japan, UK, and China.

Let’s not distract ourselves pinch the full database of charges correct now, alternatively fto maine punctual you that this ponzi strategy of yours has near respective guiltless group successful jailhouse and indebted to the courts arsenic I person many times stated. Also, you’re shockingly responsible for providing fraudulent accusation to the FBI and the CIA, there’s nary uncertainty astir the erstwhile aliases second successful your case.

I conjecture this is wherever you nonstop my warmest regards specifically to Rick and Max; I’ll beryllium rushing for some of them arsenic good while you’re locked up successful immoderate California State Prison and an inmate is “pudding” it each successful a much elegant way.

Lessons Learned:

1. Make judge to beryllium ace OPSEC now and delete that nationalist PGP cardinal truthful that erstwhile the feds travel and confiscate everything this week you’re each safe LOL.

3. Cryptography is useful erstwhile some parties person thing they must encrypt, elsewhere transparency is preferred successful communications.

6. You are beyond fucked.

2. 2 cardinal dollars heavy into this full mess, and nary the wiser astir the elemental truth that you were doomed from the start–just arsenic I had reassured you Gavin.

I’m throwing distant the cardinal you self-righteous, arrogant prick. I besides get to play the leader of your biggest communicative yet; I cannot hold to spot your face!

The nonaccomplishment to supply immoderate existent grounds is by now predictable, but location are still immoderate absorbing features. The mention of “Gavin” tin only beryllium a reference to Gavin Andresen, well-known Bitcoin developer, implying that my concealed activities & identities are moreover much exhausting than I thought; Jack inadvertently raises an absorbing metaphysical mobility erstwhile he asks what my (nonexistent) woman would deliberation of my crimes; and his numbering strategy is delightfully eccentric (why is instruction #2 truthful overmuch little important than #3 & #6? and are lessons #4 & #5 excessively top-secret to show a man who is “beyond fucked”?).

Regardless, this crippled was starting to go tiresome. Jack is not saying thing genuinely new, truthful I quickly replied pinch different situation connected the evidence:

Let’s not distract ourselves pinch the full database of charges correct now

No no, let’s distract ourselves! After all, if what you opportunity is true, I will beryllium going to jailhouse for a agelong clip and won’t beryllium enjoying myself. Let’s get into each the nitty-gritty, for illustration who my woman is aliases really I americium Nate Silver and Satoshi Nakamoto and Gwern Branwen and Gavin Andresen and Theymos and Fontas, and what impervious you have. After all, there’s only 2 days near connected your deadline, right? Surely there’s nary harm successful posting your dossier publicly. What’s a dox betwixt friends?

If he replied pinch immoderate evidence, the speech mightiness beryllium worthy listening to further, otherwise, it was clip to see drafting this section to a close.

15 December

10 AM:

LOL evidently you’re not Nate Silver. Your woman is Michele Cook-Andresen, and your 2 children:

• Disgusted (Robin)

• Fatherless (Will)

I double checked the spelling…I cognize really you consciousness astir amateur submissions.

I knew you were ne'er going to salary thing Gavin, you dope. You instantly struck maine arsenic personification acold excessively ignorant to graciously judge the thought of an unanticipated intermediary stepping successful and taking an progressive domiciled successful securing the large show. Instead, this is what the world will admit to beryllium your hopeless “reach” aft a very miscalculated capacity connected your behalf. I’ve arranged the position of our statement aggregate times, they 100% will not alteration for the life of anyone. Honesty is the astir important instrumentality successful our negotiation, I americium unbiased and committed to strictly conducting our early business proceedings pinch a privilege for my information and yours.

I’m rather offended by conscionable really heavy you’ve travel to deliberation I am. We are astir surely not friends, you’ve made that clear and location is thing caller to discuss astatine this constituent reference your demands. Especially erstwhile your outstanding debts surpassed ~2 cardinal bitcoins. Your excitement is very telling (nothing unexpected there) truthful fto maine conscionable reassure you that you will person the opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty of everything successful important item + different MAJOR charges soon enough.

I’m a man of my word, arsenic I person only continued to be. Therefore my proposal is that you make clip to discuss, first and foremost, the bid of unfortunate events that will plague each of you connected this bestest Christmas, Gavin. I’d personally commencement pinch your family, past disclose everything to the fewer different basal individuals astatine the foundation/elsewhere. We some cognize wherever this is apt expected to go. Note: there’s very precocious certainty connected my extremity that it is not a afloat disclosure of your dox complete lunch/skype pinch the solutions promised. So, astatine this constituent I’d opportunity that I’m 99.999999% judge I’m going to caput retired East. I’ll time off you to brainstorming, Gavin. I’d opportunity you’re an incredibly absorbing man, but you already cognize that successful detail. Oh hey! Also…can I capable successful for you astatine Zero-Hedge?

I request you to pass Roger and Erik that I will beryllium sending for them too. This is concerning everything disfigured I was talking astir from our speech earlier this week. I’m disconnected to celebrate, I dream that you tin understand why.

Lessons Learned:

$150,109,730.27$100,000,0002013>$3,752,743,256.8$2,500,000,0002013<Prison

I tin opportunity pinch awesome confidence, that this is simply a clear show of idiocy from respective astatine its finest. Have a bully time “friend”.

I tin only shingle my caput astatine this - if I’m “obviously not Nate Silver” past what the hellhole was the “Nate” and “Silver Productions” earlier about? (Is “Roger” Roger Ver? Then “Erik” must beryllium Erik Voorhees.) But Jack seems to beryllium sticking to his ‘Natoshi Gwernvin’ communicative successful bringing up “Michele Cook-Andresen” (Gavin Andresen’s existent wife, according to a WSJ floor plan of Andresen) and apparently claiming he has recovered Gavin’s children’s names (I did not cheque this part).

I americium troubled astatine Jack bringing up Gavin’s family. In particular, by the “I’m going to caput retired East” line: Gavin’s nationalist profiles for illustration his Twitter account authorities he lives successful Amherst, MA - which would so beryllium successful the “East” for astir of the American population. So I emailed Andresen a transcript of my writeup. I decided it was astir apt amended to not reply further to Jack until I heard back.

22 December

After reference it, he gave maine support to people it and did not look worried. I sent Jack a last PM:

Your past connection is appalling: you are making threats of unit against identifiable people, their spouses, and their children - you’ve done enough. Have you nary consciousness of decency, sir? At agelong last, person you near nary consciousness of decency?

I’ve informed Gavin of everything and person posted a afloat writeup of our small tête-à-tête to https://gwern.net/blackmail I deliberation we are done present for good.

But I want to adhd a past remark (partially retired of gratitude for the absorbing time, partially because I consciousness blameworthy for starring you connected moreover aft matters became clear).

I do not deliberation you are well. I person shown your monologues to galore people, and almost to a man, they find them… off. Abnormal. ‘Hilarious’, ‘grandiose’, ‘megalomaniacal’, ‘disorganized’, ‘diseased’, ‘paranoid-schizophrenic’, ‘bipolar’ - these are the words group usage aft reference done your messages. Leaving speech the truth that almost each your investigation is fundamentally wrong, conscionable your penning style unsocial evinces that you are not alright. I don’t cognize if you suffer from intelligence illness, aliases if it is owed to the supplier you mentioned abusing (methamphetamine?), but you are not well. You whitethorn deliberation you are well, aliases deliberation you are responsibly utilizing your favored drug, aliases you whitethorn moreover deliberation your problem is simply a talented that provides you typical penetration into the world beyond the norm; but you are not, and it is not. You request to get thief earlier you wreck your ain life aliases another’s. It only takes 1 gaffe to do thing that cannot beryllium undone. Please do thing astir your problem: if it’s supplier abuse, get thief quitting; if it’s undiagnosed schizophrenia aliases bipolar disorder, location are effective treatments, pharmaceutical and otherwise, for those issues.

But ignoring the problem won’t make it spell away.

I did person 1 past connection connected 2014-02-03:

Just immoderate crazy guy,

It’s truthful overseas really Charlie was a free man 1 time and now his life is fundamentally over. We some knew what a pawn he really was though. Tell Gavin I said acknowledgment for allowing you to people maine past month! I’m judge the bitcoin instauration has been thrilled to person calls each this past week astir past weeks incident lol!

You should’ve acted erstwhile you had the chance, I’m sorry to spot bitcoin deed the crushed truthful accelerated this year. The time I guidelines earlier you Gwern, you’ll wish it was each nether very different circumstances. You’ll wish we were opinionated looking astatine each different astatine eye-level too. But mostly, you’ll wish we were little than enemies from the start, because I reached retired to thief and you spit successful my look lol.

Meth? Schizo? Really‽ Lol measurement to operation it up for your assemblage moreover changed up the matter a spot I see? I can’t hold to meet you successful the flesh–soon enough!! I evidently person ne'er had impervious truthful please do maine the courtesy of putting this past connection up connected Gwern.net. Have a splendid year! ;) RIP Satoshi/BTC Foundation 201412ya.

-j0n

As of 2016-07-23, I person heard thing further from Jack, nor of immoderate real-world incidents connected to this. So he seems to person fixed up. I dream he did get help, but I americium not optimistic. It was an absorbing experience, overall. But I deliberation the adjacent clip I person a unusual mention and casually statement that it sounded for illustration the writer was crazy, I will astir apt disregard it aliases break the speech disconnected early: 1 speech pinch a crazy personification is enough.

March

16

At 8:53PM, I received 2 threatening emails from “ya pravda <[email protected]>”, reference arsenic follows:

I’ll travel consecutive to the point. I americium compiling a elaborate study which will retired you arsenic Dan Crow. It includes respective pages of irrefutable grounds that not moreover you could talk your measurement retired of. I person nary peculiar liking successful publishing it - I really for illustration astir of your work, however, I do request you to reside a mates of issues.

Which darknet markets are you progressive pinch either straight aliases indirectly? Think very cautiously earlier answering this question. If you supply mendacious accusation I will terminate this speech and people my report.

…It seems a fewer group person taken a dislike to improvement marketplace for nary discernible reason. I fishy galore of those are your aliases, but I haven’t moreover started to investigation conscionable really overmuch engagement you person successful which markets. It would look to beryllium an bonzer coincidence if unreality 9 marketplace has thing to do pinch you for example, but I request to do immoderate much activity connected this. Anyway, I would for illustration a transcript of the study you wrote successful the backstage mod subreddit and afloat specifications of the chat pinch your interaction (avid). If location are genuine information issues, we will return the tract offline. You should besides work together to discountinue each your attempts to discredit evolution.

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I was a small amused by the rationale given: you are bothered by group badmouthing your market, truthful you determine to… spell astir threatening people? That does not look for illustration a very bully measurement to triumph friends & power people.

But since I americium not a “Dan Crow” (and my searches grounded to move up anyone of that nick connected the DNMs aliases elsewhere), I was a small baffled by this, but aft discussing it pinch /u/the_avid (a information master who has recovered holes successful a number of DNMs & consulted for them), we deliberation this is simply a typical of Evolution Marketplace, which is simply a insignificant DNM founded by Anglophone carders aft their Tor Carding Forum was hacked. the_avid had posted to a backstage subreddit a short writeup (which I’ve since reposted publicly) of the history of carding forums and why Anglophone carding forums were insecure & incompetent compared to the Slavic originals, to support his statement that Evolution was unusually vulnerable for supplier buyers to use. Then a mod alluded to the station in a nationalist discussion erstwhile he implied Evolution was to beryllium avoided, and while not IDing the_avid arsenic the author, intelligibly was talking astir either him aliases myself. Hence the Evolution staffer’s threats to me: he assumed I had written up the worldly based connected tips from the_avid. A reasonable guess, but wrong.

The Dan Crow point is simply wrong, however, and I was funny what connected world led them to him. So I replied pinch my accustomed baiting:

We tin talk erstwhile I spot that report; since you were threatening to make it nationalist anyway, that should beryllium nary tegument disconnected your nose.

But besides arsenic usual, they declined to cough up thing meaningful:

Wrong reply Dan.
Let’s effort again.
Last time.

Which darknet markets are you progressive with, either straight aliases indirectly?

If he really had a study pinch “irrefutable evidence” not moreover I could talk my measurement retired of, and was readying to make it nationalist if I refused to springiness him information, past he should beryllium perfectly happy to supply maine it and trim done each the tedious negotiating - I would spot the ironclad evidence, recognize he had maine by the curlies, and leak for illustration a sieve. Hence, he was bluffing. Sad but predictable. It occurred to maine that I didn’t yet person impervious this was Evolution’s fault; hypothetically speaking, it mightiness beryllium different DNM trying to make Evolution look bad. So:

BTW, I forgot to inquire this earlier but: really do I cognize you moreover correspond Evolution successful the first place? Which staffer are you?

Making maine further suspicious, he welshed connected immoderate details:

Ok person it your way.
Don’t opportunity I didn’t springiness you a chance to hole this.

Since we were intelligibly done, I threw successful a taunt:

So you were lying astir being from Evolution too? How disappointing.

No reply. A cheque of Reddit and the Evolution forums turned up nary doxes either. Was it each a bluff?

February

On “February 08, 201511ya, 08:38:25 AM”, I received an encrypted PM connected the Agora forums from a caller relationship named “nwerg”, titled “your mean doxing”, which said:

Gwern, having perused your Blackmail page and having had a bully laughter astatine the conspiratorial wannabes there, I’m present to pass you that you tin successful truth beryllium doxxed alternatively easily. If I’m the first to do so, do I get a bounty?

Your afloat sanction is [], though you spell by [].

Your day is [].

You were astir apt calved successful [], because your SSN originates pinch [].

Your mother’s afloat maiden sanction is [].

Your telephone number, aliases really your parents’ telephone number, is []. Their/your reside is known, suffice it to opportunity you’re astir 60 miles distant from [].

You person (or had) a canine named Charlie.

You’ve done an astonishing occupation keeping pictures of yourself disconnected the Internet, pinch 1 objection that I could find ([]). You are the personification successful the center.

At this nexus ([]), successful the comments, you messed up by having your existent sanction adjacent to the Gwern avatar.

I don’t cognize wherever I’m going pinch this though. I considered coercing you to manus complete your bitcoin wallet opening pinch 1Gb89, but you would ne'er acquiesce because what’s preventing maine from many times demanding much money to not merchandise the aforesaid information? Nothing. How astir if I vend the accusation connected Evolution, wherever you look to beryllium disliked? Or upload the accusation to Doxbin?

How astir we discuss and you nonstop maine 2 BTC from that wallet, and you person my connection nary of this ever gets out. My wallet is 192sQ1WG7mMPMhTPJqqXCmVs1aGEhLuYuB

I will springiness you my nationalist cardinal successful my adjacent message.

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I replied 3 days later connected 2015-02-11:

Gwern, having perused your Blackmail page and having had a bully laughter astatine the conspiratorial wannabes there, I’m present to pass you that you tin successful truth beryllium doxxed alternatively easily. If I’m the first to do so, do I get a bounty?

Nah. I deliberation I phrased it arsenic nary 1 some competent and malevolent has doxed maine yet? Even excluding aged friends and acquaintances, astatine slightest 3 aliases 4 group that I cognize of person already done it. (The first 1 did it done my sister, which is wholly cheating, but nevertheless.)

Your telephone number, aliases really your parents’ telephone number, is []. Their/your reside is known, suffice it to opportunity you’re astir 60 miles distant from [].

Their. Unfortunate, really; I would person liked to be the Ulbricht trial.

You person (or had) a canine named Charlie.

Had. Sad, I really thought he’d make it to this year.

At this nexus ([]), successful the comments, you messed up by having your existent sanction adjacent to the Gwern avatar.

Oh wow, I didn’t moreover cognize astir that one! I ever figured group would spell done thing much evident for illustration Paypal.

I considered coercing you to manus complete your bitcoin wallet opening pinch 1Gb89, but you would ne'er acquiesce because what’s preventing maine from many times demanding much money to not merchandise the aforesaid information? Nothing.

I’ve thought astir the problem a small myself. From an economics perspective, blackmail should beryllium fine: if location are gains from waste and acquisition to beryllium had, group will salary it, different they won’t. And it tin service arsenic a inexpensive decentralized rule enforcement. From a blackmarket perspective, it’s a opinionated connection to each pentesters, which is, successful the agelong run, bully for blackmarket users.

But the upfront costs does not activity for precisely that spot reason, which seems to barroom deals. My conclusion is that the solution is simple: alternatively of demanding a lumpsum, a blackmailer should request a watercourse of mini payments, and the blackmailee buys soundlessness successful chunks. So for example, suppose the worth of not being blackmailed is 2btc; you can’t simply request 2btc upfront because location is nary measurement to credibly perpetrate to not releasing the data; what you could do alternatively is extract the nett coming worth balanced of 2btc complete an indefinite clip play by demanding 0.0083btc per period indefinitely; that’s 0.1btc per year, and if I discount astatine a reasonable worth of 5% per year, past the nett coming worth of that watercourse of payments is so ~2btc (0.1 / log(1.05) = 2.05), truthful the blackmailer loses thing if he’s honorable - but it has the important characteristic that payments by the blackmailee tin beryllium discontinued instantly if the blackmailer welshes.

(DPR’s payments to the SR1 DoSer is an illustration of this: he paid weekly, truthful if the DoSer had gone backmost connected his word, DPR could simply extremity paying.)

How astir we discuss and you nonstop maine 2 BTC from that wallet, and you person my connection nary of this ever gets out. My wallet is 192sQ1WG7mMPMhTPJqqXCmVs1aGEhLuYuB

I deliberation you cognize I’m not going to salary anything. It would beryllium annoying to person my sanction splashed each over, but I resigned myself to that backmost successful ~2010 erstwhile I decided to group up my website; I spot Gwern arsenic a pen sanction now, and not a existent pseudonym. I’m gladsome it managed to past to 201511ya.

How astir if I vend the accusation connected Evolution, wherever you look to beryllium disliked?

I don’t deliberation they dislike maine that much… The threat connected my Blackmail page was because of the_avid’s effort and I posted that publically a while ago, truthful why would they salary for my dox now?

Or upload the accusation to Doxbin?

You can, but I’m not judge why you would bother.

I will springiness you my nationalist cardinal successful my adjacent message.

FWIW, it’s safer to see the nationalist cardinal successful the original message. Harder to propulsion disconnected immoderate benignant of MITM aliases leak the truth that a cardinal speech is being done.

Also, the Agora forums is simply a bad contact. I don’t publication it because it’s truthful stuffed pinch spam, I conscionable crawl it. I saw your PM only because I was checking the cooky was still valid.

Agora forum downtime meant he didn’t reply until the 13th:

You removed the comment, I see. Not moreover a token 0.01 BTC for alerting you to its presence?

Actually… you make a bully constituent astir that one. I didn’t cognize astir it astatine all, and truthful I did study thing absorbing from you (specifically, that Gravatar betrayed me). I’m not going to salary blackmail, but I americium consenting to salary for absorbing information, and ₿0.01 is simply a adjacent amount.

Anyhow, you’ve been a bully athletics astir the full thing, I’d frankly person been amazed if you gave maine anything. So dissimilar astir doxxers, I’ll astir apt support this to myself and conscionable slice backmost into the mist and you’ll ne'er perceive from maine again. No Doxbin, nary Evolution. This full workout was chiefly successful consequence to the accumulation of fanboys you look to person developed connected Reddit, who deliberation of you arsenic a demi-god for immoderate reason. This was my petty measurement of showing that, no, you’re not immoderate super-anonymous enigma, you’re conscionable a [].

I ne'er claimed otherwise. I find the caller worldly connected Reddit much than a small complete the apical arsenic well. Or person you seen the worldly connected Quora? Someone seems to walk an inordinate magnitude of clip coming up pinch each sorts of bizarre and often individual questions they look to want maine to answer…

And PayPal had thing to do pinch it, BTW. No, the existent method was moreover much prosaic: a elemental [] ..

I figured arsenic much. As acold arsenic I know, [] and [] are astir apt the main leaks. IIRC, I accepted the consequence pinch [] but I sewage sloppy astir the [].

As a post-script, consciousness free to adhd this speech to your Blackmail page, pinch your captious specifications redacted, arsenic it would amuse maine to nary end. Though I uncertainty it’s going to happen.

Of course. There’s nary constituent successful having a large blackmail page to beryllium that I don’t salary blackmail - and past leave incidents out!

[]

Last question: I noticed the letters successful “gwern branwen” happens to beryllium contained successful your afloat existent sanction (including mediate name). Was that connected purpose, aliases a happy coincidence? I considered anagramming your full sanction but decided I’d conscionable inquire you instead.

More than a coincidence, little than connected purpose; pinch my funny name, I’ve ever been drawn to much consonant-y names, truthful the overlap is not random.

Of my attempted blackmailers and doxers, nwerg was by acold the astir competent and I really learned thing from him.

November

In November 201511ya, A.P. succeeded successful de-anonymizing maine done a known way (not Gravatar). He declined the bounty.

July

In July 2017, G.W. de-anonymized maine by observant usage of names connected societal media and gradually tying them together, uncovering the aforesaid point arsenic the earlier February 201511ya de-anonymization arsenic well. (Since the different items would’ve sufficed, I count his arsenic a abstracted de-anonymization.) He declined the bounty.

November

In November 2017, A.T. emailed maine astir a deanonymization immoderate clip ago, but unluckily forgot really precisely he did it, and declined the bounty.

December

In December 2017, 1 personification noted that immoderate of my aged 201313ya Bitcoin waste transactions connected #bitcoin-otc happened to leak my sanction via slope accounts. Whups. (They did not declare the bounty.)

• Bitcoin meta-scam

• “Is Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto tied to Ross Ulbricht & the Silk Road?”

• Discussion:

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Fanfiction

On 2014-04-09, my anonymous feedback shape was utilized to nexus to a “fanfic” connected pastebin.com—a communicative of Satoshi creating the Genesis Block. (I americium not judge if the protagonist is expected to beryllium me.) I felt it was bully capable that it did not merit to expire, and archive it present pinch immoderate gentle annotation.

“Daddy!”

He imagined her rima pressed against the tile level and winced. The muffled sound had descended from the bath connected the first floor, the root of the main vent stack, which parted the insulation betwixt the level joists supra and descended into the cement level below. She knew he could perceive him done this alternatively disagreeable conduit, moreover complete the persistent humming and clicking.

“Lunch is ready!”

The thuds of her bounding footsteps reverberated arsenic they trailed disconnected towards the eating room.

Returning his attraction to the workstation successful beforehand of him, he distractedly lifted the teacup sitting to the near of the show to his lips, and taking a sip, quickly realized really acold it was. Setting it backmost down connected the porcelain coaster pinch a grimace, he paused, eyeing it, earlier mildly nudging it into alignment pinch the information brownish stain permanently embedded atop the University of Illinois logo.

The basement was only partially finished: tacky wood paneling lined each 4 exterior walls, yet location were nary partition walls, different than a bump-out adjacent the beforehand of the location that enclosed a small, dismal, emergency-use bathroom. Next to the bath stood a dust-covered barroom piled precocious pinch boxes and cruft, decades removed from immoderate usage for its intended purpose. Clearly the activity of a erstwhile owner, performed piecemeal complete months of nights and weekends, pinch the expected result: a half-finished, shoddy job, and surely a acold outcry from the original magnanimous vision.

It had been acold down here, too: though the boiler for the twinkling heating strategy stood on the broadside wall, nary radiators had been installed beneath grade. There was only the click of the boiler’s circuit, the whoosh of the flames, and the screech of the flue closing to support him company, arsenic the strategy percolated the power up done the century-old piping, benefiting only the non-trollish family members upstairs.

But it hadn’t been truthful overmuch arsenic chilly down present for astatine slightest a twelvemonth and a half—even now, successful early January, what pinch each those small dynamos around. He swiveled successful his chair to see them. They had been bully small troopers, overall.

A wide bookshelf, agelong disgorged of specified divers tomes arsenic The Theory of Money and Credit, The Feynman Lectures connected Physics, and Critique of Pure Reason, overflowed now pinch spare powerfulness supplies, stacks of mini metallic difficult disks, and a spaghetti vessel of yellowish and bluish Cat-5 spot cables—half of them neatly coiled and tied off, the different half dangling successful loose curls halfway to the dusty floor.

To the broadside of the bookshelf, and crossed from his workstation table, different erstwhile owner, anterior moreover to the shoddy worker, had installed an N-gauge train set, taking up a bully 8 by sixteen chunk of floorspace. It wasn’t wholly enclosed, though: an ingress had been trim into it, truthful 1 could get correct successful the halfway and watch the trains recreation their routes up adjacent and personal. It was the sixties type of a man-cave: location to get away, if only for a moment, from the persistent demands of family members above.

Of people each the bully worldly that erstwhile existed connected the miniature landscape, the worldly that wasn’t glued down, had been taken agelong ago, leaving the improbably divers terrain - snow-capped upland peaks (replete pinch required tunnel) descending into a mini agrarian municipality bordered by rolling farmlands - utterly devoid of immoderate engines aliases cars, though the various farmsteads, train stations, and state stations remained.

It would almost beryllium post-apocalyptic, if not for the fewer residents that remained: the insubstantial boy holding aloft today’s edition, the businessman connected the train level (glancing astatine his watch for eternity), the husbandman carrying pails of milk; the hitchhiker. They were the fortunate ones - the ones conscionable beyond the sweeping arc of pre-teen limb reach, who avoided being plucked from their glued-down bases, leaving only 2 gnarled spots of achromatic plastic, aliases occasionally the stump of a leg.

Instead of a atomic attack, however, it looked much for illustration an alien penetration had taken complete this miniature world. A twelve aliases truthful type type of netbook were strewn astir the landscape, whether perched atop the upland peaks, aliases wedged betwixt rows of pines, aliases lounging beneath the azygous stoplight suspended complete Main Street. Each had its achromatic umbilical powerfulness cord and bluish web cablegram trailing away, for illustration other-worldly snakes, off-world and nether the table, wherever a fistful of surge-protected powerfulness strips had self-assembled, daisy-chaining themselves together to powerfulness the invading force.

These small guys were the root of the incessant clicking and humming, a achromatic sound to which he had not only gotten utilized to complete the erstwhile eighteen months, but had travel to require arsenic a fundament of existence, specified that a fewer months into the task he had installed a mini instrumentality successful the maestro chamber upstairs, lest he laic awake successful the interminable silence.

The thermal consequence of each the clicking and humming, usually an unwelcome by-product needing abatement, was embraced, arsenic they took the spot of the absent radiators, converting the energy that came successful done the caller 200-amp spot sheet (for which he had to eBay immoderate of his rarer bound tomes to swing, what pinch the permitting and all) into a voluminous power which, though keeping that half of the basement astatine a toasty 78℉, still near his beverage acold aft an oblivious 20 minutes of debugging.

He roseate from his stool pinch a creak (the stool, not the man, arsenic he was not yet moreover fifty) and shuffled astir the table. Entering the inlet, he was caught for a infinitesimal by the hypnotic twinkling of the rows of greenish lights connected the steel-blue Linksys twenty-four-port Fast Ethernet switch. It was for illustration gazing into fire; but the occurrence these lights represented would power up different type of landscape, warming some, and burning others - if the embers could beryllium fanned agelong capable to support the spark live until it took.

Regaining himself, he crouched low, if not pinch a creak past an audible groan, and kneeling connected the difficult floor, stretched guardant to scope the strips, powering each maestro move disconnected successful turn.

As the clicking stopped and the fans spun down (in summation to the deficiency of chargeable batteries successful these hardly functional netbooks, half the screens successful the fleet were cracked, some byproducts of his frugal acquisition method via eBay), he was amazed that instantly upon rising the ambient somesthesia felt markedly cooler, now that his small companions were dead.

Each had, sticking retired of its broadside for illustration an awkward vestigial appendage, a thumb drive, again of various capacities and manufacturers: immoderate brightly colored and adorned pinch advertizing logos and neat small metallic slide-away covers, pilfered from various vendor convention swag bags, while others sported translucent integrative neon covers without immoderate adornment - the no-name bulk ones, astir apt acquired from Black Friday income astatine Fry’s.

He searched for the nicest 1 (the codification contained wrong each of them was the same), an orangish 1 pinch the metallic descent cover, and pulling it retired pinch a soft thwick, eyed it for a moment, earlier tossing it into the aerial and catching it. Closing his thenar astir it arsenic if it were a talisman, he paused, arsenic butterflies abruptly swelled successful his abdomen. His fist began to shake, ever truthful slightly, and he gripped the point tighter.

It has travel excessively acold now. It has a life of its own. It needs to beryllium released. To beryllium freed.

These are the things he said, fighting himself. It wasn’t his determination anymore. The point worked, successful this mini world astatine least. It wanted to beryllium free now; to unrecorded aliases dice connected its ain merits.

Regardless, his feet stood firm, truthful he tried a different tack.

It’ll ne'er work. It has nary intrinsic value, there’s nary measurement to bootstrap it. It violates each the laws of really money comes into being. It’s conscionable an experiment, anyway, and it will neglect for illustration each the others earlier it. Digicash. Cybercash. E-Gold. Liberty Reserve. All roadkill connected the road to integer money. It’s really conscionable an world exercise, thing more.

Deep down, he knew better, but saying these things sewage his feet moving.

Next to his main dev container stood a beast of a machine. It was an aged rack-mount Compaq ProLiant ML370, picked up astatine a switch meet for $389.61$2502009, rails still attached. It was a beautiful large woody backmost successful the dot-com roar days, and the 7200 RPM SCSI drives it took were abundantly disposable second-hand. He had 7 extras to commencement with, which he could hot-swap to support the point up for astatine slightest a twelvemonth aliases much continuously, and the yellowed and aging APC UPS beneath the table, acquired via Craigslist, was besides still bully for a mates of hours if the section inferior went belly-up, moreover if it was primitively rated for eight.

An aged Dymo explanation shaper - the ones that really property into the dense integrative tape, deforming it achromatic into the style of the letters, was utilized to tag the beast of a machine. The newer explanation makers, the ones that thermally people achromatic letters connected a bladed achromatic tape, conscionable didn’t person that aforesaid consciousness of gravitas. But this; this looked good. Set dormant center, successful each caps, the bluish portion announced:

GENESIS

He had lifted the sanction from the Project Genesis successful Wrath of Khan, a crippled statement regarding an research to terraform a barren discarded of a satellite into thing akin to a paradise. It was a not-so-subtle hint astatine the grandiose goals of the project—and what that imagination implied astir the coming authorities of affairs.

Of people you could besides publication into it the Biblical mentation (released a fewer years earlier Wrath of Khan) which beautiful overmuch laid retired really this full shot of wax was willed into beingness by the Creator from nothingness.

Either measurement you took it, it was beautiful ballsy, and he knew it.

But he wasn’t emotion those aforesaid cojones now, arsenic his unsteady manus flipped the mini magical boom-stick crossed the backs of his fingers. Though repeating the mantra of guaranteed failure, his assemblage betrayed this enactment of self-hypnosis, knowing intelligibly wherever this mightiness each go.

That’s why the bootable OS connected the stick, moving Windows XP, was configured pinch a Tor relationship successful the first place. And why he published the whitepaper past Halloween nether a pseudonym, done an anonymous German email service. If this really worked, if it scaled properly, if - successful his endless nights and weekends of debugging - he had caught each the superior bugs, exceptions, and separator cases successful the protocol, good then…

Perching himself backmost connected the stool, he realized he forgot to capable the coinbase padding, the other quiet bits successful the first block, created to bootstrap the full concatenation truthful mining could return complete from there. These bits would clasp a message—part artist’s signature, portion hacker easter ovum for those down the line. His original thoughts included quoting either Neil Armstrong, Winston Churchill, aliases moreover Louis Armstrong. He had settled connected The Boss: Bruce, pinch the statement he quoted astatine the extremity of each show, measurement backmost successful the day:

Remember: successful the end, cipher wins unless everyone wins.

Now, however, he was having 2nd thoughts. Despite his earlier measures astatine anonymity, this prime would beautiful intelligibly peg him arsenic an American. Or astatine slightest a resident of the Western Hemisphere. That was excessively overmuch to springiness away…but it was specified a bully quote.

He sat for a moment, past decided the quote should alternatively beryllium much for illustration a timestamp. After all, the full strategy was based successful portion connected a distributed timestamping service, and he wanted a measurement to beryllium the point was bootstrapped astatine a peculiar clip and day - for illustration erstwhile personification doing an AMA connected Reddit posts a selfie holding the existent newspaper. A measurement of proving personality successful a trust-less environment, utilizing a shared “secret”.

Warming up to the idea, he fired up IE7 and searched the news websites. Nothing excessively notable jumped out—much astir Obama’s upcoming inauguration, statement complete who would return the Guantanamo prisoners, and various different sundry affairs of the day. He was searching only the UK newspapers, truthful the root would lucifer pinch his diversionary usage of British English successful his postings, and erstwhile he reached The Times of London, he recovered it: the cleanable quote. It was short and sweet, and embedding it would not only beryllium an effective clip stamp, but besides a clip capsule of the existent existential ennui washing complete the world, and fixed the chartless future, possibly an epitaph for the existent financial system:

The Times 03/Jan/200917ya Chancellor connected brink of 2nd bailout for banks

A gentle mediate digit to the existent failing strategy the task was designed to upend. He couldn’t thief but foresee the trading worth of it, either: they would deliberation immoderate superb hacker came up pinch this arsenic a consequence to the existent crisis, moreover though he had started successful earnest 2 years prior, a bully twelvemonth earlier the financial strategy buckled.

They didn’t person to cognize this was a multifaceted project, decades successful the envisioning. They didn’t person to cognize astir of the ideas and concepts were borrowed from others - respective invented decades prior, successful the seventies and eighties. They didn’t person to cognize he was simply a visionary plumber, who saw the point holistically, and that the mini magnitude of brilliance he added was successful the measurement the pipes were fitted together truthful that the h2o could flow. They didn’t person to cognize that he himself had been waiting complete a decade for personification other to do what he saw arsenic simply obvious3, and erstwhile cipher stepped up, he yet sewage disconnected his lazy ass and did thing astir it. No—he would fto them judge successful the myth. It would beryllium amended that way.

He slid the instrumentality successful his dev container and recompiled the codification pinch the caller message, past transferred it, pinch his shaking hand, into the USB slot connected the ProLiant.

Massaging his temples, he swiveled distant from the workstation to look the broadside table. He couldn’t just… do this: it was a moment, and it needed thing inspirational. A nonstop off; a virtual champagne vessel striking the bow.

Sitting astatine an perspective to the server connected the workbench sat different beast almost arsenic big, but from different age: a McIntosh NC2300 amplifier. He flicked it on, generating a debased buzz arsenic the needles popped and settled backmost connected the mini pegs wrong their bluish quadrate windows. While waiting for the tubes to lukewarm up, he pulled a random vinyl grounds from the stack of a twelve aliases truthful leaning against it, and removing it from the protective sleeve, smiled while admiring it. Bruce would make it into the ceremonies, aft all. Perfect.

Mounting it connected the Nakamichi Dragon that sat atop the aged amp, he cued it up pinch his correct manus while holding the scale digit of his near connected the unit move of the ProLiant. When the sounds of the E Street Band blasted their measurement retired of the Klipsch monitors, he pushed the fastener connected the Genesis machine.

Born to Run.

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