The co-creator of the dark web marketplace Empire Market, Raheim Hamilton, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in facilitating approximately $430 million in illegal transactions. Hamilton operated the marketplace, which was modeled after AlphaBay, from August 2017 until its shutdown in 2020 amid extortion-based DDoS attacks and exit scam allegations. The case highlights the significant challenges in combating illicit activities on the dark web, as first reported by Bleeping Computer.
Empire Market, accessible only via TOR browsers, facilitated over 4 million transactions between vendors and buyers, primarily involving illegal drugs, but also counterfeit currency, stolen credentials, and hacking tools. Drug sales alone accounted for nearly $375 million, with substantial quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin listed. At its peak, the marketplace had over 1.68 million registered users. Hamilton admitted the site was designed to evade law enforcement and launder money through cryptocurrency transactions, encouraging users to employ anonymizing services and encryption. Law enforcement conducted undercover purchases and seized $75 million in cryptocurrency during the investigation. Hamilton agreed to forfeit properties and significant amounts of cryptocurrency, while co-defendant Thomas Pavey also pleaded guilty and faces sentencing.
Source: Bleeping Computer
