Darknet kingpin forfeits 1,230 BTC and receives 40-year term over $430M illicit market
Summary
Empire Market co-creator Raheim Hamilton was sentenced to 40 years in prison and agreed to forfeit 1,230 bitcoin worth about $101 million, 24.4 ether, and three properties. A judge also imposed a $5 million fine. Hamilton and co-conspirator Thomas Pavey ran the dark-web marketplace from 2018 to 2020, facilitating more than 4 million transactions worth over $430 million, including nearly $375 million in drug sales. The operators required cryptocurrency and promoted mixing services to hide fund movements. Pavey previously forfeited 1,584 bitcoin and awaits sentencing.
