Blackmoor Vituperative

E-Gold, what F-Secure calls a “very prominent” digital currency for criminals, has been indicted for money laundering, conspiracy and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

According to an indictment, handed down by a Washington federal grand jury and unsealed on April 27, E-Gold is a preferred method of payment by investment scammers, credit card and identity fraudsters, and online sellers of child pornography. E-Gold allegedly conducted funds transfers on behalf of such customers knowing that the funds were the proceeds of unlawful activity, thus violating federal money-laundering statutes.

E-Gold’s digital currency, “E-Gold,” is supposedly backed by physical gold. The company only requires a valid e-mail address to open an account, with no additional verification of contact information. E-Gold accounts can be funded with a number of exchangers to convert national currency into E-Gold. With an open account, users can conduct anonymous transactions worldwide.

[…]

The indictment charges E Gold Ltd., Gold & Silver Reserve, and their owners Dr. Douglas L. Jackson, of Satellite Beach, Fla., Reid A. Jackson, of Melbourne, Fla., and Barry K. Downey, of Woodbine, Md., each with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business under federal law and one count of money transmission without a license under D.C. law.

[…]

The conspiracy charge relating to money transmitting carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Operating an unlicensed money transmitting business also carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The D.C. Code violation for money transmission without a license carries a maximum sentence of five years. The conspiracy charge relating to money laundering carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

(from Security Watch, E-Gold E-ndicted for Fronting Child Pornsters, Fraudsters)

This is a shame, but I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise in this age of universal surveillance. E-gold didn’t do anything immoral, nor did they defraud anyone. They provided a service. But if you aren’t proactively helping the government spy on your customers, you’re a criminal.

If they knew they were going to get nailed for it, E-Gold should have moved their activities offshore, like the gambling sites did. But if they didn’t know… how could they not know? I mean, really, even as clueless as I am, I would think that they’d at least need to keep client records for IRS purposes, because gold would be considered a capital gain (or loss). And the feds had been investigating them for two years. This couldn’t have come as a surprise. Ah, well.