Threat Management

Reddit subpoenaed for user info after Evolution shutdown

A federal agent investigating the abrupt shutdown of black market Evolution, along with the alleged disappearance of $12 million in Bitcoin, has subpoenaed Reddit for information about its users.

Wired, which obtained a copy of the subpoena sent by a Baltimore Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, reported that feds specifically wanted details on five Reddit users: security researcher Gwern Branwen, a user called "NSWGreat,” who claimed to be an Evolution staffer, and users “z-l,” “Evosmith” and “Deepthroat,” who said they were “tracking Evolution's administrators or identifying details about them."

When Evolution suddenly became inaccessible earlier this month, some speculated that the incident was part of an exit scam orchestrated by administrators.

Reddit hasn't said whether it will hand over the requested data, which includes names, IP addresses, and dates and times that users visited the site.

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