Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 1 day ago
Empire Market co-creator sentenced to 40 years in prison
Raheim Hamilton, a Virginia man who co-created and operated Empire Market, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
The marketplace operated from 2017 or 2018 until it shut down in 2020; the sources give different start dates.
It handled more than four million transactions worth about $430 million, including sales of drugs, stolen account details, personal information, counterfeit currency and hacking tools.
Buyers and sellers used cryptocurrency, and the operators encouraged methods intended to conceal transactions and identities.
Investigators seized about $75 million in cryptocurrency, and Hamilton agreed to forfeit cryptocurrency and properties; he was also fined $5 million.
Co-operator Thomas Pavey pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced later this month.
The case shows that using the dark web and cryptocurrency did not prevent law enforcement from identifying and prosecuting the marketplace's operators.
Raheim Hamilton, co-creator and operator of the dark web marketplace Empire Market, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and fined $5 million.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the sentence on October 7, 2026; the sentence was imposed on Monday, according to Security Affairs.
Empire Market facilitated more than four million transactions worth approximately $430 million, involving illegal drugs, counterfeit currency, stolen credentials, personal information and hacking tools.
Hamilton operated the marketplace with Thomas Pavey, who has pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced later in October, according to Security Affairs.
Investigators seized $75 million in cryptocurrency during the case, and Hamilton agreed to forfeit cryptocurrency and properties.
- Who
- Raheim Hamilton, co-creator and operator of Empire Market
- What
- He was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and fined $5 million for operating the marketplace.
- When
- The sentence was announced on October 7, 2026; Security Affairs says it was imposed on Monday.
- Where
- United States; the federal case was in Chicago.
- Why
- For his role in operating a marketplace that facilitated illegal transactions.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A Virginia man who co-created and operated “Empire Market”—a dark web marketplace that enabled users to anonymously buy and sell illegal goods and services—has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
Security Affairs reports Hamilton and Pavey co-owned and operated Empire Market during this period; SC Media says Hamilton operated it from August 2017 until its 2020 shutdown.
Empire Market shut down amid extortion-based denial-of-service attacks and allegations of an exit scam.
Hamilton and Pavey were charged in federal court in Chicago with operating Empire Market, according to Security Affairs.
Hamilton pleaded guilty to U.S. drug conspiracy charges in Chicago, according to Security Affairs.
The Justice Department announced Hamilton's 40-year prison sentence and $5 million fine.
- Prison sentence
- 40 years
- Fine
- $5 million
- Marketplace transactions
- More than 4 million, worth approximately $430 million
- Cryptocurrency seized
- $75 million at the time of seizure
- Co-defendant
- Thomas Pavey, who pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced later in October, according to Security Affairs
Sources
Related news
Canadian cybersecurity negotiator arrested in ShinyHunters investigation
US seizes two China-linked hacking tools used against critical infrastructure
Illinois college says Flock refused to remove its cameras before contract ended
Anthropic offers free AI vulnerability scans to open-source projects
FBI arrests another suspect linked to ShinyHunters jobs-site breach
Canadian cybersecurity executive arrested on extortion-related charges
Security Affairs launches weekly AI and cybersecurity newsletter
AI-assisted attacks hit South Korean financial institutions
Ricardo data breach affects about 890,000 user accounts
Account linked to Chinese DDoS group in probe of attacks on South Korean finance
Thousands of GPU servers exposed monitoring data, with hundreds vulnerable to crashes
