American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road

Homeland Security Agent Jared Der-Yeghiayan flew into San Francisco and immediately logged into the Silk Road to keep his undercover Cirrus persona active. At the hotel steakhouse, he met FBI Cyber Agent Chris Tarbell, FBI Agent Brophy, and computer scientist Thom Kiernan. Tarbell reported the San Francisco FBI insisted on a SWAT raid, which risked Ross encrypting his laptop; he vowed to overturn the plan.

Brophy recounted an earlier moment in which the undercover team had followed Ross to a coffee shop. Brophy had sat right next to him, but since no one could confirm that Ross was actively logged into the Silk Road, they decided to let him go. Tarbell also described a combative call from DEA agent Carl Force, who demanded to see the server. The agents traded examples of the Baltimore team’s unprofessional conduct, then went their separate ways so Jared could resume undercover work for DPR.

In Baltimore, Carl received a stand-down order on all Silk Road activity, confirming DPR’s arrest was imminent. He reviewed his overlapping schemes: By day, he chatted as Nob for his task force, but during off-hours, he secretly posed as Kevin and then the character French Maid to sell DPR investigative secrets.