Empire Market co-creator pleads guilty to facilitating $430 million in drug sales

A Virginia man, who co-created the dark web marketplace Empire Market, has pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges for his role in facilitating approximately $430 million in illegal transactions between 2018 and 2020. The marketplace, advertised as an AlphaBay clone, operated as a hidden service accessible only via TOR browsers, according to a recent report by Bleeping Computer.

Empire Market facilitated over 4 million transactions, with drug sales totaling nearly $375 million, making it the most prevalent activity. The site also sold stolen credentials, counterfeit currency, and hacking tools. Raheim Hamilton, 30, operated the market with co-defendant Thomas Pavey, hiring moderators and designing the platform to evade law enforcement and launder cryptocurrency transactions. Law enforcement conducted undercover purchases, intercepting illicit substances like heroin and methamphetamine. At its peak, Empire Market had over 1.68 million registered users, including nearly 360,000 buyers and more than 5,000 vendors.

The investigation led to the seizure of $75 million in cryptocurrency. Both Hamilton and Pavey have pleaded guilty and face significant prison sentences, with mandatory minimums of 10 years and potential life sentences.

Source: Bleeping Computer