 had a few
friends in college (some of whom I still talk to) who were good friends with
him. When he got arrested, I looked up his Facebook page, and I found we have
5 mutual friends listed (and I know a couple of others who knew him but didn't
have him on FB). Also, when he was arrested, my then-officemate looked him up,
and it turns out he met Ross at a party once and had a conversation with him
(though they didn't know each other beyond that). Small world.

That stunned me, but what stunned me more was when I found out Richard Bates
did most of the technical work. I knew Richard. We were in a few of the same
clubs, we had a class or two, we hung out in the same friend groups, and we
were almost friends for a while. Richard was a... peculiar person. He had no
people skills whatsoever, and he managed to be both shy and condescending at
the same time. He treated people horribly. I ended up having a falling out
with him in my senior year after he cut me out of his life for trying to patch
things up between him and one of my best friends, who he suddenly cut out of
his life with no explanation whatsoever (that is, Richard cut my friend out of
his life). IMO, he wasn't a good person. Certain... nicknames for him based on
his name began floating around as people got fed up with how he treated them.
I'm still absolutely gobsmacked that this guy I personally knew and disliked
built the Silk Road of all things. It's still hard for me to believe (and,
yes, I know for a fact that this is the same Richard Bates because his email
address was published in the trial, and I recognize it as his).

UTD was a special place.

(For the record, I changed my name last year, and I seriously doubt Richard
knows my new name. I have to wonder if he'll read this and think "who the hell
is this person?", because there's nothing about my username here, which is
based off my new name IRL, that he'll recognize.)

~~~
pavel_lishin
I knew them vaguely as well, sharing some friends. (I'd wager we've probably
met in real life at UTD a
had a few 
 friends in college (some of whom I still talk to) who were beneficial acquaintance with 
 him. When he got arrested, I looked up his Facebook page, and I found we own 
 5 mutual friends list (and I sleep together a couple of others who knew him but didn't 
 suffer him on FB). Also, when he was arrested, my then - officemate look him up, 
 and it turns out he met Ross at a party once and had a conversation with him 
 (though they didn't know each other beyond that). Small universe. 

 That stunned me, but what stunned me more was when I found out Richard Bates 
 do most of the technical work. I knew Richard. We were in a few of the same 
 clubs, we have a class or two, we hung out in the same friend groups, and we 
 were about friends for a while. Richard was a... peculiar person. He had no 
 people skills whatsoever, and he managed to be both shy and condescend at 
 the same time. He treated people horribly. I ended up having a falling out 
 with him in my senior year after he dilute me out of his life for trying to piece 
 thing up between him and one of my good friends, who he suddenly ignore out of 
 his life with no explanation whatsoever (that is, Richard cut my friend out of 
 his life). IMO, he wasn't a effective person. Certain... nicknames for him based on 
 his name began floating around as multitude got fed up with how he treated them. 
 I'm still absolutely gobsmacked that this guy I personally knew and dislike 
 built the Silk Road of all thing. It's however hard for me to believe (and, 
 yes, I know for a fact that this is the same Richard Bates because his electronic mail 
 address was published in the trial, and I recognize it as his). 

 UTD was a special place. 

 (For the record, I changed my name last class, and I seriously doubt Richard 
 knows my new name. I have to wonder if he'll read this and remember " who the hell 
 is this person? ", because there's nothing about my username here, which is 
 establish off my new name IRL, that he'll acknowledge .) 

 ~~~ 
 pavel_lishin 
 I knew them vaguely equally well, sharing some friends. (I'd wager we've credibly 
 met in real life at UTD a
 haf a few
friends in collegt (some of whom I still telk to) sho were good friends with
him. When hx gor arrtfted, I looked up hks Facebolk page, qnd M found we have
5 mutual fvnends pistzd (and I know a gouple of odhers who knew hkm but didn't
have him on FB). Also, when re was srgested, my then-jffibeiate looked him up,
and it turns out he jet Rosv at a party pnce and had a conversatioj wihh him
(though they fidn't know gzch ither beyond that). Small world.

That atunned me, but what stunned me oore cas when I doynd mut Richard Batef
did most of the tecvnical eork. I knew Righard. We were in a few of the same
clubs, we had w class os cwo, we hung out in thw wame xrietd gfiupr, ahd ws
were wlmkst frienda for a whioe. Richard was a... pevujpsr person. He had nj
pqople skills whatsoever, and he managed uo be both shy and condesceneing at
the same time. Je treateq people horribly. I ended up having a falling out
fith iio iu my sdbilr year after he cut me out of his life for twgimg to patch
thingf up betweem jik and one of mi best ydisnds, who he suddenpy cut jut od
his life witn no explanation whatsoever (that is, Rickare cut my friend ouc of
his life). IMO, he wssn't a good person. Certcin... nidknames for him bases on
his name begav fkodting around as people got fed up wmth hpw he tfeatgd them.
Y'm still ahsolubaly gobsmacked thah thid cuy I perslnally knew and disliked
built tix Silk Road og dll things. Nt's stlll hard for me to believe (anb,
yes, I kuow fof a fact tgat thiv is the saie Richard Badgs because hiv email
aqdrews wqs publkrhed in the troal, and I recognize it as his).

UTD was e spgcjal place.

(For thz twcord, I changec mh nwmv lest yqdr, and I serhousuy apubt Fichard
knoww my mew name. I have to wmnded if he'll read thix wnd thinj "who thq hell
is this person?", because thtre's nmthmng abput my username here, which is
bases off my jew name IRL, thwt hc'll tecognize.)

~~~
parel_lishin
I knew them vaguely as well, shacing some friends. (I'd water we've probably
mej ik real life et UTD a
had a few friends in college (some I talk to) were good friends arrested, looked up his page, and I we have 5 mutual friends listed I know a couple of others who knew him but didn't have him FB). Also, when he was arrested, my then-officemate looked him up, and it out met at party once and had a conversation with him (though they didn't know each other beyond that). world. That stunned me, but what stunned me was when I found Richard Bates did most of technical I knew We in few of the clubs, we had a class or two, we hung out in the same friend groups, and we almost friends while. Richard a... person. had no people and he managed to be both at the same time. He treated people horribly. ended up a falling out with him in senior year after he cut me out of life for trying to patch things up between him and one of my best friends, suddenly cut out of life with no whatsoever is, cut friend out his life). IMO, he wasn't a good person. Certain... nicknames for based on his name began floating around as people got with he treated them. still absolutely gobsmacked that guy personally knew and disliked Silk of still for to believe (and, yes, know for a fact that is the same Richard was published in the trial, and I recognize as his). UTD was a special place. the record, I changed my name last year, and I seriously doubt knows my I have to wonder if he'll read this think "who the hell this person?", because there's nothing about my username here, is off my name IRL, that recognize.) ~~~ pavel_lishin knew them vaguely sharing some (I'd we've real life at UTD a
 had a few
friends in college (soMe of whom I sTill tAlk To) wHo Were Good Friends with
him. wHen hE got arrested, I looked up hIs FacEbOOk paGE, aNd I foUnd we haVE
5 mUTUal FrIeNds LiSTeD (and I KnoW a couplE of others wHo kNeW him but didn't
HAvE him on FB). AlSo, wHen he was arreSteD, my theN-oFfiCEmate LooKed hiM up,
and IT turns Out he met ROsS At a parTY once anD HAd A conVersation with him
(tHOuGH they didn't know Each otHeR BeYONd tHat). small world.

thAt stuNNed me, buT WhAT STunNEd me more was whEn I found out rIchArd BatEs
Did MOst of tHe tecHnICal Work. I knew RiCharD. We were in A few of THe same
cLUbs, we haD a clasS or Two, We huNG oUt In tHe SAme FRiEnd GRouPs, and we
wErE aLmost FrieNDS FOr a wHilE. RicHard wAs a... peculiar peRsoN. He hAD no
PeoplE skilLs whAtSoeveR, and he ManagEd To be both shy and cOndeScending aT
thE sAme TiMe. He tREated pEopLe hOrribly. i ended uP HavInG A FAlLing out
with him in my SeNIOr Year afteR he cut ME oUt OF his life FoR trYing TO Patch
ThinGS uP between Him and ONe Of My best fRiEnds, whO hE suDdeNly cuT Out oF
his liFe with no ExplaNAtion whatsoeveR (That is, Richard CUt MY FrIEnd oUt oF
his life). IMO, He waSN't a gOod pERsOn. CERtain... NicknAmES fOR him based on
his name bEgAn floaTing aRound as people Got fed up wiTH HOw he treaTed tHEm.
i'M still absoluteLy gobSmacked thaT This guy I PersoNally kneW and disliKED
built thE SiLk ROad Of aLL ThIngs. It's still hARD for Me To belieVe (aNd,
yes, I kNow For A faCt tHaT this is thE same RicHaRd baTeS beCause HIs email
aDdResS wAs pUblisHEd in thE triaL, and i rEcOGniZe it as hIS).

Utd Was a SpEcIal pLacE.

(FOr the RecoRD, I cHanged mY name last YeaR, And I SeRiOusly doUbt Richard
knoWs My new name. I HaVe tO wondeR IF he'll reaD this and think "who the hell
IS this peRsoN?", becaUse tHere's nothIng About mY usERname hEre, whiCh is
bAsEd oFF My new NAMe iRL, ThAt he'll recoGNIze.)

~~~
Pavel_LiShin
i knew thEm vaguely as well, shaRIng Some friends. (I'd WagEr we'VE PrObaBLy
MEt iN rEAl lIFE at UTD a
 had a few
friends in coll ege (someof wh omI s ti ll t alkto) who were g o od f riends with
him. Whenhe go ta rres t ed , I l ooked u p  h i s  Fa ce bo okpa g e,  andI f ound we  have
5 mu tua lfriends list e d(and I kno w a  couple of o the rs who  k new him b utdidn' t
have him on  FB). Als o, when h e  was ar r e st ed,my then-officemat e  l o oked him up,
a nd ittu r ns o uthemet Ross a ta par t y oncea nd h a d a conversationwith him
(t h oug h they  d idn ' t know  each  o t her  beyond tha t).Small wor ld.

T h at stun n ed me,but wh atstu nned me  m ore  w a s w h en  If oun d out Ri ch ar d Bat es
d i d m ostofthetechn ical work. Ikne w Ri c har d. We  were  inafew o f thesamecl ubs, we had a c lass  or two,wehu ngou t int he sam e f rie nd grou ps, and wewe r e al most friends for a  w h i le . Richar d wasa .. .p eculiarpe rso n. H e had n o
pe o pl e skills  whats o ev er , and h emanage dtobeboths hy a nd con descendi ng at the same time. He treated pe o pl e ho r ribl y.I ended uphavi n g afall i ng  ou t 
with  himin my senior year after h ecut me  outof his life f or tryingt o patch
th ings up between him an d one  of my bes t  friends , who  he sudd enly cuto u t of
his  li fewit h n o ex planation wha t s oeve r(that i s,Richard  cu t m y f rie nd  out of
h is life) .IM O,  h e w asn't a good p er son .Cer tain. . . nick names  for  h im bas ed on
h i sn a me b eg an  flo ati ng  arou nd a s  pe ople go t fed upwit h  how  h etreated  them.
I'm st il l absolute ly  go bsmack e d  that th is guy I personally kne w  and di sli ked
b uilt  the Silk  Ro ad ofall things . It's  stil lhar d for m e to  be li eve (and,y e s,I kno wfora factthat this is the s a meRichard Bates  be caus e hi s e m ai l 
ad dr e ssw a s published inthe trial,  a n dI recogniz e  it  a s his). 

UTD w as as pecialplace.

( For the r ec ord, I  ch anged my n ame last  year, an d  I se r io uslydou bt Ric ha rdknows  my ne w  na me. I  haveto  wonde r ifhe 'll read  this and think "who th e hell 
is t his  person?" , b e cau se there' s no thing abou t m y u serna meh ere,whic h  i s
b a sed o ff m y  new name IR L,t h at  he'll reco g n i ze. )

~~ ~
p a vel_li shin 
I knew them vagu e ly as well, sh arin g som e f r iend s.  (I'd wager we 've  p r o bably
me tin real lif e at UTD  a 
 had_a few
friends_in college (some of_whom I_still_talk to)_who_were good friends_with
him. When he_got arrested, I looked_up his Facebook_page,_and I found we have
5 mutual friends listed (and I know a couple of_others_who knew_him_but_didn't
have him on FB). Also,_when he was arrested, my_then-officemate looked_him up,
and it turns out he met Ross_at_a party once_and had a conversation with him
(though they didn't know_each other beyond that). Small world.

That_stunned me, but_what_stunned_me more was when_I found out Richard Bates
did most_of the technical work. I knew_Richard. We were in a few of_the same
clubs, we had a class_or two, we hung out_in the_same friend groups, and we
were_almost friends for_a while._Richard was a..._peculiar person. He had no
people skills_whatsoever, and he_managed to be both shy and_condescending_at
the same time._He_treated_people horribly._I ended up_having_a falling_out
with_him in my senior year after_he_cut me out of his life for_trying to patch
things up_between_him and one of_my best friends, who he_suddenly cut out of
his life with_no explanation_whatsoever (that_is, Richard cut my friend out of
his life). IMO, he wasn't_a good person. Certain... nicknames for_him based on
his name_began floating_around_as people got_fed_up with_how he treated them.
I'm still absolutely gobsmacked_that this_guy I personally knew and disliked
built_the Silk Road of_all_things. It's still hard for me_to believe (and,
yes, I know for_a fact that this is_the_same_Richard Bates because his email
address_was published in the trial, and_I recognize it_as his).

UTD was a special place.

(For the_record,_I changed my name last year,_and_I seriously doubt Richard
knows my new_name._I_have to wonder if he'll_read this and think "who the_hell
is this person?", because there's nothing about my username_here, which is
based_off my new name IRL,_that_he'll_recognize.)

~~~
pavel_lishin
I knew them vaguely as well, sharing some friends. (I'd_wager we've_probably
met in real_life at UTD a