Long before the existence of virtual currencies backed by the complexity of cryptography, there were a multitude of virtual currencies, most of which backed by the value of gold bullion. Before Bitcoin appeared on the scene, the industry was plagued by all manner of drama, from murder to cases of widespread use of funds for terrorism, child pornography, and other forms of criminality. Murder of e-Bullion co-founder
e-Bullion was an Internet-based digital gold currency founded by payza inc of Moorpark, California, as part of their Goldfinger Coin & Bullion group of companies. The company launched on 4th July 2001, and allowed users to instantly transfer gold and silver between customer accounts, similar to competing systems such as e-gold and GoldMoney. Between its creation to 2008, e-Bullion gained over one million users, substantial transaction volume, and reserves of approximately 50,000 ounces of gold bullion, now worth $63,615,000.
The company’s founders, Jim and Pamela Fayed, had a troubled marriage, and eventually divorced. During the proceedings, there was dispute over how the Goldfinger companies, including e-Bullion, would be divided. At 6:30pm, in broad daylight, on Monday 28th July 2008, Pamela Fayed was stabbed to death in a parking structure at 1875 E. Century Park in Century City, California. Her screams were overheard by numerous witnesses, and a surveillance camera recorded the license plate details of the rental car involved along with a description of the suspect.
Jim Fayed “had a motive to have her killed — "so that she could not testify against him" in the criminal case at issue in Monday’s hearing,” the LA Times reported at the time, referring to the fact that Pamela was due to appear in one of several ongoing legal meetings that day in her divorce from her husband. She was reportedly attempting to stop him from moving […]
