In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, the hosts explore the intriguing story of Silk Road, the first significant online black market. They discuss how Ross Ulbricht, known as Dread Pirate Roberts, created Silk Road, which operated on the Tor network and utilized Bitcoin for transactions. The podcast covers the site's rise, its surprisingly effective marketplace, and the FBI's eventual crackdown. It also delves into Ulbricht's libertarian beliefs and the controversy surrounding his arrest, which led to a lengthy prison sentence influenced by unproven murder-for-hire allegations. Additionally, the episode examines Silk Road's lasting impact on the emergence of other illicit online marketplaces.
