The Devil Takes Bitcoin: Cryptocurrency Crimes and the Japanese Connection

The wild, true story of cyber-era commerce, crime, cold-hard cash, and one of the greatest heists in history.

Even in hell, Bitcoin talks. This modern take on an old Japanese saying still holds true. Cryptocurrency was supposed to do for money what the internet did for information, but it didnt work out that way. Its virtual existence unleashed real-world chaos especially in the homeland of its mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Tokyo was the centre of the worlds largest bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, until that company collapsed with nearly half a billion dollars worth of bitcoin gone missing. It might be the greatest heist in history. If it was a heist.

So what really happened? Heres the true story of the humble-to-hot commodity, from the former geek website that launched the boom to an inside world of absent-minded CEOs, hucksters, hackers, cybercrooks, drug dealers, corrupt federal agents, evangelical libertarians, and clueless techies. Youll discover Bitcoins connection to the infamous Silk Road, learn why hell has nothing on Japans criminal justice system, and get the lowdown on the high cost of betting with the Devils dollars. All of this for less than the price of a single bitcoin.