That is not legal anymore, but did indeed occur in the past.

Censorship is ultimately about breaking trust networks. Pro-censorship governments almost always want the citizens to trust them above all other sources. Cryptography, anti-censorship proxies, and other communication mediums provide an external point of view. This is only dangerous to governments that aren't telling the truth -- in which case, their reaction to such communication mediums is from an understanding of how much that trust would be damaged if word got out about what they're really doing. What this means is, it's obvious that such a government would poison pill any alternatives by making them appear (or interfering with them in such as a way as to cause them) to be untrustworthy. The malware may or may not have been released by the government; It's doubtful we'll ever know the truth, but it is obviously in the government's best interests to damage the reliability of any kind of 'bypass' software.

Disclaimer: Many governments, including those who claim to be "free" engage in similar behavior. Your government is not exempt from this behavior.

Lets not assume 1 success means 'turning over' LEO the next day.

And the will never turn over LEO completely. They will always monitor it and dictate policy. As they should.

$10k is not a brief case of money. It is a couple small stacks of $100s.

They could not use whatever previous method of transportation they used until they had $5k?

As a bonus, equipment with broken chameleon circuits could continue to operate in the community. Of course, you'd also have to put up signs saying that upon meeting an adult who talks very quickly and mumbles about his screwdriver, you are instructed to immediately provide your full name and some kind of sob story. It'll save them when the monsters, sentient water, spacecraft, and parasites come.

Details:

On July 21, 1961, Grissom was pilot of the second Project Mercury flight, Mercury-Redstone 4, popularly known as Liberty Bell 7. This was a suborbital flight which lasted 15 minutes and 37 seconds. After splashdown, emergency explosive bolts unexpectedly fired and blew the hatch off, causing water to flood into the spacecraft. Quickly exiting through the open hatch and into the ocean, Grissom was nearly drowned as water began filling his spacesuit. A nearby helicopter tried to lift and recover the spacecraft, but the flooding spacecraft became too heavy, and it was ultimately cut loose before sinking.

Grissom asserted he had done nothing to cause the hatch to blow, and NASA officials eventually concluded that he was correct. Initiating the explosive egress system required hitting a metal trigger with the side of a closed fist, which unavoidably left a large, obvious bruise on the astronaut's hand,[citation needed] but Grissom was found not to have any of the tell-tale bruising. Still, controversy remained, and fellow Mercury astronaut Wally Schirra, at the end of his October 3, 1962 flight, remained inside his spacecraft until it was safely aboard the recovery ship, and made a point of deliberately blowing the hatch to get out, bruising his hand.[26]

I've pulled out of a few ugly cabinets in my time.

But, really you should use a condom.

20 years ago it was 10Grand., Not sure if that has changes.

They are legally required to report to the DEA because the IRS doesn't communicate that information to government agencies with two exceptions:

A) Someone has defaulted and they need to seize assets.
B) Another agency request for the information with a warrant for a specific person information.

And contrary to the knee jerk reaction most of the ignorant people on /. will make, the IRS takes it very seriously.

Of course, banks shouldn't be required to pass that information to anyone. OTOH, who carries brief cases of cash with them? SO dropping 10+K is suspicious.

And reporting to the DEA means they note it, might ask a few questions. For example if you are a travelling street performer, they might talk to you the first time, make a note and then you'll be fine.

Some behavior are suspicious fro a reason, so finding more information about what's going on is reasonable.
Of course, where the line is is in constant debate.

So do store clerks.

Handling money has real costs, theft, paying someone to take it to the bank. The extra time it takes to make and handle change. Stocking change to each register.