Empire Darknet Drug Market Admin Gets Busted

Empire Darkweb Market was active from February 2018 to August 2020, becoming one of the largest platforms for all sorts of illegal activities, including drug and counterfeit goods sales. It filled the void left by Alphabay and Hansa, quickly becoming a significant player in the darknet world.

Empire Market was known for its wide range of categories like fraud, drugs, counterfeit items, and malware. Transactions were typically done using Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Monero, with Monero being favored for its enhanced privacy features. The market supported robust security measures like PGP encryption and two-factor authentication to protect its users.

In August 2020, Empire Market suddenly disappeared following a series of DDoS attacks and extortion attempts. Many believe the admins executed an exit scam, vanishing with $30 million of users' funds. The recent investigation has shed light on the real identities behind this massive operation: Thomas Pavey and Raheem Hamilton.

These two had a history of illegal activities dating back to Alphabay. They sold counterfeit U.S. currency and shared techniques to make their products more convincing. After Alphabay was shut down, they launched Empire Market, scaling up their operations significantly. This market facilitated around 4 million transactions worth over $430 million.

The authorities have now seized $75 million in cryptocurrency, cash, and precious metals from these operations. The charges against Pavey and Hamilton include conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, computer fraud, access device fraud, counterfeiting, and money laundering. Each of these charges carries severe penalties, with some potentially leading to life imprisonment.

This case highlights some major operational security (OpSec) mistakes made by the admins, such as inadequate encryption and traceable communications. Their failure to sufficiently anonymize cryptocurrency transactions also played a role in their downfall.

It's a significant bust in the darknet world, especially since these individuals had been out of the game for several years. It serves as a reminder of the long reach of law enforcement and the importance of OpSec.

Thanks for tuning in to this impromptu video! Big shoutout to Roach for breaking this news. Stay safe out there, everyone, and I'll see you in the next video. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more updates!

☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆ CHAPTERS ☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆

00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:43 - Background on Empire Market
00:01:22 - Features of Empire Market
00:02:52 - Disappearance of Empire Market
00:03:20 - The Admins of Empire Market
00:04:40 - The Scale of Empire Market
00:05:34 - The End of Empire Market
00:06:15 - The Aftermath of Empire Market
00:07:04 - Potential Sentences for the Admins
00:07:33 - Detailed Look at the Charges
00:09:33 - Counterfeiting and Money Laundering Charges
00:10:33 - Possible Upward Departures
00:12:23 - Conclusion
00:12:53 - Mistakes Made by the Admins
00:15:36 - Outro

#darknetmarket #darknet #darkwebstories #darkweb

☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆ SOCIAL MEDIA ☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆

PODCAST https://rss.com/podcasts/darknet/
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.doingfedtime.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/doing.fedtime/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DoingFedTime
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-bent/
EMAIL: ksllc27@gmail.com
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@doingfedtime
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sam-Bent/author/B0BHX5V81S

☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆ LEGAL STUFF☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆

The information provided in this video is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be legal or professional advice, and should not be relied upon as such.

By watching this video, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to these terms. If you do not agree to these terms, do not watch this video.