A Poetic Sentencing Memo by Shrem's Lawyers Brings Bitcoin Back to the Ancient Greeks

A moving and poetic sentencing memo by Charlie Shrem's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, portrays his client through the lenses of ancient Greek literature. Shrem was sentenced last Friday to years in prison for operating an unlicensed money services business. The intro reads:

"Had the Greeks known of Cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrencies By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw Read this Term and of certain provincial Brooklyn neighborhoods, a tragedy could have been written about a boy who, through Dionysian passion and a little hubris, helped nurture an idea—Bitcoin Bitcoin While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that Read this Term—that was new to the world, and that could change how the world—the whole world—passed value from one person to another.

This new idea would take the boy from from [sic] his neighborhood. The boy would see himself as an almost sacred guardian of this new idea, charged with the awesome responsibility of bringing it out of the darkness and into the light of widespread, mainstream acceptance. However, in the chaos of developing the new idea, he would drop his guard, and allow the dark forces to caste it in shadow.

He would be to blame. He would be viewed not as its protector but as its destroyer, the destroyer of the one thing—the idea—he loved most. He would be sent back to his provincial neighborhood and, for a while, would live in his parents’ basements, all the while dreaming of the time he could return to his lifelong task of helping—of being just one of many—to bring this new idea further into light.

The rest of the story remains to be written."

The revelation raises speculation that Shrem and his legal team managed to move the heart of Judge Jed Rakoff, who only sentenced Shrem for two out of a theoretical maximum 30 years. Shrem seemed highly satisfied with the outcome, saying the justice has been served.

Shrem's lawyer strongly underscored his client's youth and inexperience, and indicated, therefore, that the crimes do not warrant such exacting consequences. Rakoff did acknowledge that a longer sentence would "fail to take into account the human being."

The document is only part of what was an epic campaign by Agnifilo to fight for his client's freedom, one which saw Shrem's terms of detainment reduced to house arrest, and from there, chipped away to effectively nothing.