[shkkmo]

> You have the choice of assuming the worst in everyone, or not.

I'm not assuming the worst...that would be assuming he intends to find a way to continue managing an online gang from jail...

> the superficial exploitation of people

It wasn't superficial. He had a huge negative impact on a lot of everyday people and profited from it enormously.

> I'm just hoping for the best and recognizing that possibility seems to still exist for him.

I also hope he turns his life around and do believe there is a chance, but statements like the one quoted don't give me much hope. He pays lip service to saying what ge did was wrong and calls the community horrible, but he still wants to be friends with all the people with whom he became friends by engaging in criminal conspiracy with them.

The judge decided to throw the book at him and I think the judge was probably right. Maybe the extra years will give him time to understand the damage he caused.