Bitcoin Pioneer Ian Freeman Accused by Federal Prosecutors

Recently, Federal prosecutors said Ian Freeman, an early Bitcoin pioneer, helped scammers and some other criminals launder more than $10 Million by Bitcoin. Also, a group was associated with him in this happening. In which they have used a network of Bitcoin vending machines and in-person and virtual cash-for-bitcoin trades from 2016 to 2021, until their arrests.

Federal prosecutors said in their opening statement that Mr. Freeman was the provoker of the illegal crypto selling business. He started by installing multiple bitcoin kiosks throughout the state of New Hampshire, then branched out into advertising for in-person and virtual cash-for-bitcoins trades on websites such as localbitcoins.com.

They told the jury that the Bitcoin pioneer did not raise a lot of questions of his customer, but charged them a premium for their privacy.

In defense, Mark Sisti, Mr. Freeman’s lawyer, addressed the jury during his opening statements on Tuesday. He told them that what they’d heard from MacDonald – Assistant U.S. Attorney Geogiana- was “absolute nonsense” and accused the government of intentionally leaving out details that did not benefit their case against Freeman.

Bitcoin Pioneer is on ‘Trail’ Along His Associates

Mr. Freeman is confronting eight counts of tax evasion and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. This week, he goes to trial in New Hampshire to face Federal charges.

It can be seen that Mr. Freeman and his associate group, who collectively dubbed the “Crypto 6,” got arrested in a raid in March 2021.

Bitcoin pioneer’s fellow radio host Aria DiMezzo, his former girlfriend Renee Spinella and her husband Andrew Spinella, and Nobody (formerly Richard Paul) have taken plea deals. These all were associated in the Crypto 6.

However, DiMezzo is not set to be sentenced till later this month, the other three defendants headed for the hills with relatively lenient sentences, ignoring the jail time. Another, Colleen Fordham, had all charges against her dropped.

Mr. Freeman is the host of the “Free Talk Live,” radio show and a one-time member of the Libertarian migration movement, the Free State Project. He has somewhat maintained his innocence and described the charges against him as politically motivated and the trial a “fake.”

The ‘FBI-Raid’

Ian Freeman’s trial comes almost a year and a half after his residence was raided in the middle of the night by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The gun-wielding agents surrounded the Keene, New Hampshire, home, crashing out through a first-floor window with an armored car, in March 2021. They have seized property from the residence, including $180,000 cash, coins and bars made of precious metals. Agents also seized two physical Casascius bitcoins worth a combined 101 bitcoins, while several bitcoin kiosks owned by Freeman from restaurants and other local businesses.

Nancy J. Allen is a crypto enthusiast and believes that cryptocurrencies inspire people to be their own banks and step aside from traditional monetary exchange systems. She is also intrigued by blockchain technology and its functioning.

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