Alleged Silk Road mastermind will sit in jail while he awaits transfer to New York

Ross William Ulbricht, alleged founder of underground marketplace Silk Road, agreed to be transferred to New York to face the charges against him at a hearing today in San Francisco. In a hearing that lasted less than five minutes, Ulbricht’s public defender said Ulbricht would not protest his detention as he awaits his transfer to New York. He retains the right to pursue bail after he arrives in New York.

Ulbricht has been held without bail since being arrested October 2nd in a San Francisco public library. He has denied the charges against him, which include narcotics trafficking conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. Ulbricht has also been accused of attempting to hire a hitman to murder one of his former employees. During the short hearing, Ulbricht’s attorney once again denied that he is the Dread Pirate Roberts responsible for the creation of the popular marketplace. “We do affirmatively disavow any of the aliases alleged in the complaint,” he said.

Ulbricht has been charged in two jurisdictions: Maryland, where he faces the charges related to hiring a hitman, and New York, where he faces the charges related to operating Silk Road. Appearing before Judge Joseph Spero in a red Alameda County jumpsuit over a green T-shirt, he said “good morning” to the court but nothing else as his defender explained Ulbricht’s wishes.