Federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges on Monday against a pair of individuals who they say sold Bitcoins that were later used to buy and sell drugs on Silk Road, signaling a desire by law enforcement to target those who use crypto currencies to facilitate shady activities, reports foxbusiness.com.
The complaint marks the latest fallout from Silk Road, the online drug bazaar that U.S. authorities shut down last year and later seized millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin from. It also highlights a concerted effort to crack down on those who use Bitcoin to enable illicit activities.
"When Bitcoins, like any traditional currency, are laundered and used to fuel criminal activity, law enforcement has no choice but to act," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. "We will aggressively pursue those who would coopt new forms of currency for illicit purposes."