Dark Web Marketplace Co-Founder Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Conspiracy Charge
A co-founder of a Dark Web marketplace has admitted to a federal drug conspiracy charge in Chicago. Raheim Hamilton, 30, from Suffolk, VA, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He could face up to life in federal prison, with a minimum of ten years. Hamilton was involved in Empire Market, a platform that conducted over four million transactions worth more than $430 million between vendors and buyers from 2018 to 2020. The site offered illegal products and services, including controlled substances, stolen account credentials, counterfeit currency, and hacking tools.
Hamilton forfeited assets, including 1230 bitcoin, valued at nearly $110 million, as part of his plea agreement. The other co-owner of Empire Marketplace, Thomas Pavey, had previously pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges related to the platform's operations.