Crypto Advocate Cody Wilson Charged With Child Sexual Assault

Cody Wilson, founder of the 3D printed gun company Defense Distributed and cryptocurrency advocate, has been charged with sexually assaulting a minor.

AccessTimeIconSep 19, 2018 at 6:07 p.m. UTC
Updated Aug 18, 2021 at 9:52 p.m. UTC

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

Cody Wilson, founder of the 3-D printed gun company Defense Distributed and cryptocurrency advocate, has been charged with sexually assaulting a minor.

According to an affidavit, Wilson was accused of assault against an unnamed minor he allegedly met through an online dating site. Wilson, who has butted heads with the U.S. government over his advocacy for 3-D printed firearms, was one of the main developers of the privacy-centric bitcoin wallet DarkWallet and is a funder of a coding academy launched by developer Amir Taaki.

  • Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
    13:18
    Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
  • Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
    05:10
    Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
  • The first video of the year 2024
    04:07
    The first video of the year 2024
  • The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
    40:07
    The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
  • Magistrate judge Tamara Needles, of the Travis County District Court, found "probable cause" for an arrest warrant to be issued, per the affidavit. The charges were first reported by news station KVUE.

    Wilson's present location is unknown. Austin Police Department Organized Crime Unit commander Troy Officer said in a press briefing that his last known location was Taipei, Taiwan. Though Wilson had booked a plane ticket back to the U.S., he appears to have missed his flight.

    "We're working with national and international law enforcement partners to locate him and bring him to justice … [and] we're working with the United States Marshals to locate him," Officer said.

    Wilson reportedly left the country after a friend of the victim told him that police were investigating. However, it is unclear if Wilson already planned to go to Taipei or if he left due to the news, Officer said.

    While Wilson is only being charged with sexual assault of a minor at present, more charges may be added later. That being said, Wilson faces anywhere from two to 20 years in prison and a potential $10,000 fine if he is convicted, Officer said.

    He later pointed out that paying for sexual intercourse is illegal.

    The affidavit notes that the victim, whose identity is being withheld but is described as "a juvenile female under the age of [17]," reported meeting Wilson through the website SugarDaddyMeet.com. She told authorities that he identified himself by name after texting him through the app under the screenname "Sanjuro."

    The affidavit also details video surveillance footage from the Archer Hotel, where the assault allegedly took place, as well as a local restaurant, where cameras captured the victim getting out of Wilson's car after the reported assault.

    The video evidence corroborates a statement the victim made to a counselor and law enforcement officials, the affidavit states.

    Wilson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

    Editor's note: This article has been updated with information from the Austin Police Department.

    Image Credit: 71 Republic/YouTube

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information have been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of the Bullish group, which owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish group equity-based compensation. Bullish was incubated by technology investor Block.one.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.



    Read more about