Two men suspected of running one of the most notorious online dark marketplaces, Empire Market, face life in prison. Thomas Pavey, 38, and Raheim Hamilton, 28, are accused of organizing and operating the marketplace from 2018 to 2020, through which more than $430 million in illegal transactions were conducted. They are also involved in the sale of counterfeit US currency on the now-defunct AlphaBay marketplace.
The U.S. Department of Justice accused Pavey and Hamilton of helping cybercriminals conduct nearly four million transactions through Empire Market. Among the goods sold on this marketplace were heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, counterfeit currency, stolen credit card information, and other illegal products. Both suspects are in custody and await trial in a Chicago federal court. They face numerous charges, including drug trafficking, computer fraud, forgery, and money laundering. The combination of charges could lead to life in prison for each of them.
According to the indictment, Pavey, a native of Ormond Beach, Florida, and Hamilton, of Suffolk, Virginia, began collaborating on the AlphaBay platform in schemes to sell counterfeit U.S. currency. After AlphaBay was shut down in 2017 due to an international law enforcement operation, they decided to create their marketplace. Empire Market was launched on February 1, 2018, and quickly gained popularity.
Empire Market was divided into several categories, including "Fraud", "Drugs and Chemicals", "Counterfeit Goods", and "Software and Malware". According to the indictment, counterfeit U.S. currency was sold to a law enforcement agent directly on Empire Market in at least one case.
Transactions on the platform were conducted using cryptocurrency, and buyers could leave feedback and ratings for sellers. Pavey and Hamilton were administrators of the site until it was closed on August 22, 2020. During the investigation of the platform, law enforcement officers seized $75 million worth of cryptocurrency, as well as cash and precious metals. The Department of Justice did not provide information on whether the money and metals were seized during searches of homes belonging to Hamilton or Pavey.
This case exemplifies the trend of former users of one cybercrime marketplace creating their platforms after law enforcement agencies shut down previous ones. Similar incidents include the creation of markets or tools, such as Skynet Market and the Helix cryptocurrency mixer, by other AlphaBay sellers. The Empire Market case shows that even the most influential and successful dark web markets cannot escape justice, and that law enforcement continues to actively combat illegal activity in this area.
The investigation of Empire Market and similar markets demonstrates the importance of international law enforcement cooperation in the fight against cybercrime. The closure of such platforms and the arrest of their operators is a significant step in this direction, helping to reduce the volume of illegal transactions. It's also undermining the activities of criminal groups that use the dark web for their purposes.
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