Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have formally charged Ross Ulbricht, the alleged mastermind of the notorious Silk online drug market Road, that he is the driving force behind a major drug-trafficking, drug-smuggling, hacking, and money-laundering operation.
The four categories were announced in a new indictment on Tuesday by the US Attorney of the Southern District of New York.
Perhaps surprisingly, there were no charges related to the six murders that federal agents wanted Ross Ulbricht to have committed. The original indictment wanted Ross Ulbricht to have ordered hitmen to execute two murders, a number that later rose.
However, Ross Ulbricht faces a new charge, that of "ongoing criminal enterprise," which is usually imposed on leaders of organized crime.
The new charge can carry a minimum prison sentence and a maximum life sentence. The conspiracy charge “could potentially send him to prison for life, or at least 10 years. The other two categories will carry lesser penalties: up to 5 years for piracy and a maximum of 20 years for money laundering.
In a statement to Forbes, Ulbricht's attorney Joshua Dratel said the new indictment "does not contain any new factual charges" and that Ulbricht will plead not guilty.
