Douglas Jackson

On November 20, 2008 Douglas Jackson along with other directors of e-gold and Gold & Silver Reserve company received their sentences from the federal judge. He was indicted in April 2007 of providing a haven for criminal activity like processing investment scams and payments for child pornography. Douglas Jackson faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. But he spared a heavier fine because, according to his attorney, he's deeply in debt. Thus he was sentenced to pay only $200 fine with three years of probation and 300 hours of community service.

The case with Douglas Jackson is a typical sample of American freedoms dilemma. On one hand the law is expected to prevent illicit and adverse behavior of criminals that results in high material and emotional losses. On the other hand law should protect freedom of a person to keep his privacy safe from intrusion. Perhaps, Jackson is to blame for his quests for earnings as long as child porno-dealers are making huge profits on their production, but initially it is the government who should prevent such kind of felony to take place at all. But the law prefers inflict penalty on intermediaries after the crimes have been already committed many times by the true violators. Thus, that paltry similarity to the reputed business which was the e-gold service after it made trials to recover could no longer attract customers because they new that their privacy was no longer safe.