I run a reasonably successful service buying and selling Bitcoins for cash, an act which is completely legal where I live. I have absolutely no idea where my clients get their Bitcoins or what they use them for and there no way I could find out. It isn't inconceivable that some of these people are using the coins I sell to commit crimes or that the ones I buy are the proceeds of crime. I always fear I could be a victim of this kind of overzealous prosecution for running a legitimate business and it causes a chilling effect in my industry
I have on a few occasions refused to sell Bitcoins to people. One time a man brought $5,000 of crumpled bills in a carrier bag and I told him to take a hike and never try to buy from me again. I refuse to sell to anyone who tells me they're going to use the Bitcoins to buy drugs and I try to buy directly from miners.
I'm doing everything I can reasonably do because I really don't want to get involved with criminals, but all of these safeguards are trivial to sidestep
And that's the difference. You are actively turning away people who you think might be involved in criminal activity. Anaya attempted to be willfully ignorant, but it's clear (to me, at least) that, from gathered evidence, he knew exactly what his clients were doing with his work.
The sad thing is... the government still could go after you if you -- completely innocently and without your knowledge -- sold to someone doing something shady, and if they really wanted to make it stick, it's likely they could, or could at least intimidate you into doing their bidding.
