Five Plead Guilty Over $7.9M Dark Web Crypto Drug Operation
Five people were convicted for operating “FireBunnyUSA,” a dark web drug trafficking network that shipped over 10,000 packages containing illegal drugs—including cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine—to all 50 states and Washington, D.C., between January 2019 and August 2022. The group, led by Nan Wu, laundered over $7.9 million in drug proceeds, primarily through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and privacy-focused Monero. Prosecutors found almost $900,000 in crypto on Peng Peng Tang’s phone and ordered Wu to forfeit substantial crypto assets. The operation converted funds between cryptocurrencies and fiat, including $2.4 million moved into Chinese yuan. The case demonstrates law enforcement’s capacity to trace cryptocurrencies, even privacy coins, with records remaining on immutable ledgers. Sentences included a minimum of 6 1⁄2 years in prison for Wu. The case coincides with global efforts to dismantle dark web marketplaces and enforce regulations around crypto use in crimes.
