Mt.Gox CEO Will Have You Know He Has Not Run Away With Your Non-Virtual Money

Contrary to public speculation, Bitcoin CEO Mark Karpeles will have you know that after halting virtual transactions on his “Magic: The Gathering Online Exchange” for the second, and likely final time, that he has in fact not run away with any all too real money that may still be found at the now defunct exchange of virtual stuff.

From this guy:

Dear MtGox Customers,

As there is a lot of speculation regarding MtGox and its future, I would like to use this opportunity to reassure everyone that I am still in Japan, and working very hard with the support of different parties to find a solution to our recent issues.

Furthermore I would like to kindly ask that people refrain from asking questions to our staff: they have been instructed not to give any response or information. Please visit this page for further announcements and updates.

Sincerely,

Mark Karpeles

This is happening as the Japan police is finally stepping in:

Japanese authorities are looking into the abrupt closure of Mt. Gox, the top government spokesman said on Wednesday in Tokyo’s first official reaction to the turmoil at what was the world’s biggest exchange for bitcoin virtual currency.

“At this stage the relevant financial authorities, the police, the Finance Ministry and others are gathering information on the case,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference when asked about Tuesday’s shutdown of the Tokyo-based exchange.

Speaking shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that Mt. Gox had received a subpoena from federal prosecutors in New York, Suga declined further comment.

Japan’s Financial Services Agency and Finance Ministry told Reuters on Tuesday that they do not have jurisdiction over Mt. Gox after the exchange’s website went down and efforts to reach company officials failed. The Bank of Japan said it had nothing to add to a comment by Governor Haruhiko Kuroda that the central bank was “very interested” in bitcoin.