All articles tagged with #darknet
The U.S. authorities seized 145 domains and cryptocurrency linked to BidenCash, a marketplace that facilitated the sale of stolen credit cards and personal data, supporting over 117,000 users and generating $17 million in revenue before being shut down.
The U.S. government has seized around 145 domains and cryptocurrency associated with the BidenCash marketplace, a platform that facilitated the sale of stolen credit card data and personal information, supporting over 117,000 customers and generating over $17 million in revenue before being shut down by law enforcement.
Larry Harmon, founder of the crypto mixer Helix, has been sentenced to three years in prison by a US court for conspiracy to commit money laundering, involving over $300 million in Bitcoin from drug trafficking. Harmon, who also operated the darknet search engine Grams, will forfeit over $700 million in assets. His cooperation with law enforcement reduced his sentence. This case highlights increased scrutiny on crypto mixers, with other operators like Roman Sterlingov also facing legal action.
Roman Sterlingov, a dual Russian-Swedish national, was sentenced to over 12 years in prison for operating Bitcoin Fog, the darknet's longest-running bitcoin money laundering service. From 2011 to 2021, Bitcoin Fog processed over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at $400 million, linked to illegal activities such as drug trafficking and identity theft. Sterlingov was found guilty of multiple charges, including money laundering conspiracy, and was ordered to forfeit assets worth over $395 million. The case highlights law enforcement's commitment to dismantling criminal networks on the darknet.
Roman Sterlingov, the founder of Bitcoin Fog, a cryptocurrency mixing service, has been convicted of money laundering for facilitating the laundering of over 1.2 million bitcoins worth about $860 million. He faces up to 20 years in prison and is the latest in a series of individuals associated with crypto mixing services to face legal consequences. Two other individuals tied to crypto mixing services testified against Sterlingov during his trial, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 15.
The FBI has disrupted the operations of the BlackCat ransomware gang by seizing their darknet website and releasing a decryption tool for over 500 victim companies. In response, BlackCat briefly regained control of their site and announced 90% commissions for affiliates, as well as removing restrictions on targeting hospitals and critical infrastructure. The group claims that an additional 3,000 victims will no longer receive decryption keys due to the FBI's actions. The DOJ is offering up to a $10 million reward for information on BlackCat affiliates.
Operation SpecTor, a coordinated international effort to disrupt fentanyl and opioid trafficking on the darknet, resulted in 288 arrests and more seizures than any prior operation, including 117 firearms, 850 kilograms of drugs, and $53.4 million in cash and virtual currencies. The operation was conducted across the United States, Europe, and South America, and was a result of the continued partnership between JCODE and foreign law enforcement against the illegal sale of drugs and other illicit goods and services on the darknet.
The Justice Department has taken down ChipMixer, a darknet cryptocurrency "mixing" service that laundered over $3 billion worth of cryptocurrency for ransomware, darknet market, fraud, cryptocurrency heists, and other hacking schemes. The operation involved the seizure of two domains, one Github account, and the ChipMixer back-end servers, as well as the arrest of Minh Quốc Nguyễn, who was charged with money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and identity theft. ChipMixer allowed customers to deposit bitcoin, which was then mixed with other users' bitcoin, making it difficult for law enforcement or regulators to trace the transactions.