Bystanders can see a rather unusual social justice ethos in new comments from entrepreneur and prominent crypto investor Tim Draper.
A Cointelegraph report dropped by Dylan Love last night cites a set of remarks by the Draper, notable for his backing of startups like Robin Hood and Coinbase, on Fred Schebesta’s Crypto Finder video podcast.
The interview, which covered many topics, included Draper’s prognosis for Bitcoin after recent values have shrunk down to around $7,000.
Draper says BTC could reach $250,000 by 2023, characterizing the recent slump as a temporary blip that is not a surprise.
“I kind of expected things to drop some as excitement waned,” he told Schebesta, talking about future potential.
Bitcoin may benefit even more, Draper believes, from the demise of various altcoins that wash out in crypto industry maturity.
Draper also spoke out in support of Ross Ulbricht, otherwise known as Dread Pirate Jones, who was imprisoned a few years ago for running the massive Silk Road dark web operation.
“Free Ross, baby!” Draper said, impassioned. “Get him out. We need entrepreneurs like that guy! Get him out of jail! Why do we put these really extraordinary people in jail? We need their minds, their energy, their life force. Get him free. Who knows what else he could’ve come up with?”
This isn’t the first time that Draper has argued for Ulbricht’s release.
“(Ulbricht) has been imprisoned for about five years, that is enough” Draper tweeted September 21.
But the high net worth capital mover was even more effusive in interview:
“I get that he’s got to be an example, and he stepped over the line,” Draper said, “but he’s been in jail for a while. Get him out. I cry when my cat goes into a cage, it tears my heart out when these prisoners go into cages.”
Cynics might say that maybe part of Draper’s appeal for Ulbricht’s release comes from the amazing way in which the Silk Road founder’s fall, by proxy, enriched him – after buying 30,000 Bitcoin in the Silk Road auction, Draper saw massive increases in his investment’s value over the years. Assuming that Bitcoin was delivered to Draper at 2014 prices, around a high of $400 per coin, he would have made a massive 2000% profit to date, and more than double that at Bitcoin’s subsequent high water mark of $20,000 per coin.
However, listening to the interview, Draper really makes a larger point about incarceration and its inhumanity, and it’s really pretty moving to those who feel the same way about crime and punishment in America.
“There’s got to be a better way,” Draper said.