Ross Ulbricht’s conviction and life sentence for running a dark channel website for large-scale drug trafficking using the bitcoin currency has been affirmed by a unanimous federal appeals panel.

Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road website, had claimed he was denied a fair trial in 2015, and then wrongly refused a new trial, because he was blocked from submitting evidence on two corrupt undercover agents who used the investigation to enrich themselves with the anonymous virtual currency.