Ladar Levison, the founder of the email service reportedly used by Edward Snowden, joined HuffPost Live Wednesday to discuss his decision to shut down his company Lavabit.
Though Levison noted he is not at liberty to reveal details about his case or acknowledge the role of the U.S. government in the shutdown of his company, Levison did tell host Mike Sacks, "Our federal government has the power to take all of your money and your freedom, and they've shown no shame in using those powers to get what they want and to punish people who speak out against them."
He continued, "I kind of think the only reason I'm not in jail right now is because of all the media attention."
Lavabit, a privately held company that Levison described as his "baby," encrypts all communications so that third-party users cannot intercept emails without a password.
On abruptly closing Lavabit last week by posting a letter to his site, Levison said, "I think over the last 10 years running Lavabit and learning more and more about the Patriot Act and how it was eroding our freedoms, I developed a much more specific view of what I felt was right and what I felt was wrong."
To hear more from Ladar Levison and his attorney Jesse Binnall, watch the full segment HERE.
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