Without Web Access, the First Bitcoin Convict Finds a Way to Reach Fans From Prison

Charlie Shrem wouldn’t let prison stop him from chatting with his online fans. Even after becoming the first person ever convicted of a Bitcoin-related crime, Shrem continues to cultivate a following among Bitcoin loyalists, some of whom paint him as a sort of martyr for the digital currency.

Since September, Shrem has been answering fans’ questions on Bitcoin.com while serving a two-year prison sentence for money laundering associated with Silk Road, an online black market that allowed people to buy drugs and guns. Holding a Reddit-style “ask me anything” session from inside the slammer isn’t easy. For one thing, inmates are barred from accessing the Web, according to Shawn Bartlett, a spokesman for the U.S. federal prison system in Lewisburg, Pa., near where Shrem is being held.