Darknet Drug Dealer ‘Pharaoh’ Accused of Facilitating $100M in Crypto Sales Arrested in New York
Taiwanese national and dark web drug dealer Rui-Siang Lin, ‘Pharaoh’, who allegedly made more than $100 million in cryptocurrency sales of illegal narcotics, has been arrested by U.S. authorities.
Lin used the identity “Pharoah” to operate the online “Incognito Market” for nearly four years and was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport on Saturday. Lin allegedly sold illegal narcotics including deadly fentanyl to customers around the world, said the U.S. attorney’s office in a statement.
To capture Lin successfully, U.S. authorities and FBI worked with the El Dorado Task Force’s Darkweb and Cryptocurrency Task Force using cutting-edge techniques targeting savvy criminals.
According to the statement, Lin is being charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. One count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison.
One count of money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to sell adulterated and misbranded medication, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
“As alleged, Rui-Siang Lin operated a sophisticated and dangerous online narcotics marketplace through which he profited millions of dollars at the community’s expense,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, in the press release.
“The dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of New York and our law enforcement partners will pursue criminal actors regardless of whether they operate on street corners or in the dark corners of the internet. The so-called ‘dark web’ is not a safe haven for
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