American Kingpin
American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road
by Nick Bilton
In 2011, 26-year-old libertarian programmer Ross Ulbricht launched the Silk Road, a Dark Web marketplace for anything—from drugs to hacking software—outside government scrutiny. The site quickly drew media attention, prompting a massive federal manhunt for its elusive operator, the Dread Pirate Roberts. As the Silk Road ballooned into a $1.2 billion enterprise, Ross embraced his role as kingpin, even ordering a hit to protect himself. With the Feds racing against time to find him, Vanity Fair's Nick Bilton uncovers the twists, close calls, and the astonishing climax of this real-life crime saga in "American Kingpin."
The Globe and Mail
“An astonishingly narrative… Bilton's storytelling bears not so much as a trace of fat; the book he's conjured is so sharp and bright that it can be whipped through in the airport lounge before the flight takes off."
Fortune
“Nick Bilton is the only writer who could tell this suspenseful story. American Kingpin is engrossing at every turn, right up to its pulse-racing ending.”
“American Kingpin is both a staggering feat of investigative journalism and a triumph of edge-of-your-seat storytelling. This is what true-crime writing should be.”
BRYAN BURROUGH, author of Days of Rage
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Wall Street Journal Reader Reviews
Best AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR
Audible
NICK BILTON
Nick Bilton is an acclaimed author, journalist, and filmmaker known for his investigative work on technology and its impact on society. A former columnist for The New York Times and a special correspondent for Vanity Fair, Bilton has authored several bestselling books, including "Hatching Twitter" and "American Kingpin." He has also directed and produced notable documentaries, such as HBO's "Fake Famous." Bilton's work spans various mediums, including books, films, and television, often exploring the intersection of technology, crime, and human behavior.
