2 men charged in NY 'Silk Road' drug prosecution

Men sold more than $1 million in bitcoins to users

NEW YORK – Federal prosecutors say two men are charged in New York with conspiring to commit money laundering by selling more than $1 million in Bitcoins to users of the black market website Silk Road.

The website is designed to let users buy illegal drugs anonymously.

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Authorities say Charlie Shrem was arrested Sunday at New York's Kennedy Airport while Robert Faiella was arrested Monday at his Cape Coral, Fla., residence.

Prosecutors say in a news release that Faiella sold Bitcoins to users seeking to buy illegal drugs on the site through a Manhattan office.

They say Shrem personally bought drugs on Silk Road and helped Faiella exchange more than $1 million in cash for Bitcoins so they could make illegal purchases.

It wasn't immediately clear who would represent Faiella and Shrem in court.


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