Cybersecurity
Bitcoin Bidders in Big Sale Irked as Government Outs Their Names
This article is for subscribers only.
Potential bidders for one of the largest blocks of bitcoins ever sold said they are irked after the U.S. government accidentally outed their names in an e-mail.
The U.S. Marshals Service, which is planning to auction bitcoins seized last year from the illicit Silk Road marketplace, sent a message today to almost 40 e-mail addresses of people and groups who submitted questions about the sale, which takes place June 27. The cache of 29,656 bitcoins being offered has a value of about $18 million at today’s prices.