Alleged Silk Road administrator must be extradited to the US from Ireland

When the net closed around Silk Road, many thought it spelled the end of the black market trade on the dark web. Of course, this did not turn out to be the case, so hopes were pinned on holding those responsible for the site to account.

The founder of the site has already been charged, and now authorities are after those who acted as admins. One such target is Irishman Gary Davis, and an Irish court has just ruled that he should be extradited to the US to face hacking, drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Davis -- who used the name Libertas on Silk Road -- faces a possible life sentence in the United States if he is found guilty of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He and his legal team have already tried various tactics to fight extradition, but now the Irish High Court has ruled against him.

His claims of suffering from both depression and Asperger’s Syndrome, as well as a suggestion that he would be held in inhuman conditions were thrown out by the judge, but it is widely expected that Davis will appeal against the decision.

He has also argued that the charges put to him are vague, and has suggested that he should be tried for his alleged offenses in Ireland rather than the US.

Photo credit: Collins Courts / Irish Times