Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by downandout on Wednesday April 18, 2018 @01:06PM
(#16868999)
Yeah, but if they can't get to it before you are aware of what's going on (as is the case with most asset seizures) then you can deal with the situation first. For example, a judge issues an order for you to turn over the private keys, and jails you until you decide to comply. Someone you trust that has access to the private keys transfers funds out of that wallet, then you turn over the private key. You have complied with the order to turn over the keys, and you have deniability ("someone must have seen news of my arrest in the press and broken into my storage shed...the one you guys didn't check...where the keys were stored!").
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Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by balls187 on Wednesday April 18, 2018 @02:16PM
(#16869594)
Judges don't like it when individuals attempt to circumvent their authority.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by downandout on Wednesday April 18, 2018 @04:52PM
(#16871073)
And private citizens don’t like it when judges order their money to be taken without warning or consent. I was just saying that crypto gives people options that might enable them to maintain more control over the situation than they would have if their money is just sitting in a bank.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by balls187 on Wednesday April 18, 2018 @08:24PM
(#16872423)
Do judges seize property without a legal reason?
Certainly the police seize property citing dubious reasons, but are there examples of judges seizing financial assets without legal authority to do so?
Police can use civil forfeiture to seize property; but can't use civil forfeiture laws to compel you to give up your gmail password. That requires a court order/warrant. Hence the original comment about a judge could compel you into turning over your BTC Wallet.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by downandout on Thursday April 19, 2018 @12:23AM
(#16873316)
Do judges seize property without a legal reason?
Whether the reason is valid or not doesn’t matter much to the target of such an order. They still lose access to their funds. People who care about that possibility may want to take steps to make it more difficult for someone to do this to them. That’s all I was saying.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by balls187 on Thursday April 19, 2018 @02:42AM
(#16873825)
Okay, thank you for the clarification, I understand your point better.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by Daishiman on Wednesday April 18, 2018 @08:30PM
(#16872460)
Private citizens aren't above the law, tough guy.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by downandout on Thursday April 19, 2018 @12:14AM
(#16873287)
As a practical matter, they are if their encryption can’t be broken.
Re:Many Bitcoin Miners Are at Risk of Turning Unprofitable
by Daishiman on Thursday April 19, 2018 @05:48PM
(#16880476)
As a practical matter, you get held in contempt of court until you decrypt stuff, and God help you if you're in the UK where they can hold people if they have a suspicion that you're hiding something.