Empire Market Co-Founder Sentenced to 40 Years, Forfeits 1,230 BTC
Image: DecryptRaheim Hamilton, co-founder of dark web marketplace Empire Market, received a 40-year federal prison sentence in Chicago. He pleaded guilty in January to a federal drug conspiracy charge tied to operating the platform from 2018 to 2020. Hamilton agreed to forfeit roughly 1,230 BTC, 24.4 ETH, and three Virginia properties. Empire Market facilitated more than four million transactions between buyers and vendors during its operation.
Key points
- Empire Market co-founder Raheim Hamilton received a 40-year federal prison sentence.
- Hamilton pleaded guilty to a federal drug conspiracy charge for operating the platform.
- He agreed to forfeit approximately 1,230 BTC, 24.4 ETH, and three Virginia properties.
- Empire Market operated from 2018 to 2020, facilitating more than four million transactions.
- The platform generated nearly $375 million in net drug sales during its operation.
Why it matters
The sentencing and forfeiture represent a high-profile enforcement action against a leading Western dark web drug marketplace. The case highlights law enforcement's ability to seize cryptocurrency tied to illicit online operations.
Price context · BTC
At publication
$82,651.00
Now
$82,461.00
Change since
−0.23%
7 days · dashed line = publication
Sources · 3 publishers
CoinDesk
Tier 1
Dark web drug market operator sentenced to 40 years, forfeits $101 million in bitcoin
Decrypt
Tier 1
Empire Market Co-Creator Sentenced to 40 Years Over $430M Dark Web Bazaar
Coverage timeline
- First reported by Bitcoin.com News
- Confirmed by CoinDesk
- CryptoVideos brief published
How this brief was made. Our system found this event in 3 independent publications, summarised two complete reports with AI and checked every number above against the source text. Sources are linked in full. Not financial advice. Report an error
