Empire Market Co-Creator Sentenced to 40 Years

Update (Oct 9, 10:18 UTC): Co-creator Raheim Hamilton was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and fined $5 million after pleading guilty to a drug conspiracy charge. He also agreed to forfeit about 1,230 Bitcoin.

A co-creator of the dark web drug platform Empire Market has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and agreed to forfeit 1,230 bitcoin valued at approximately $101 million. Raheim Hamilton, 30, of Suffolk, Virginia, was sentenced by a federal judge in Chicago on Monday and also received a $5 million fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

Operations and Illicit Sales

Prosecutors stated that Empire Market operated from 2018 to 2020, facilitating more than 4 million transactions. Drug sales accounted for nearly $375 million of the site's total activity, which exceeded $430 million. In addition to narcotics, Hamilton and his partner sold stolen account credentials, personal data, counterfeit currency, and hacking tools.

Co-Conspirator Proceedings

Hamilton's partner, Thomas Pavey, 41, of Ormond Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty last year to a federal drug conspiracy charge. Pavey previously forfeited 1,584 bitcoin and other assets, including gold bars, automobiles, and properties in Florida, and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. The Justice Department noted the platform required customers to use cryptocurrency and encouraged mixing services to obscure fund movements.

Key facts

• Raheim Hamilton sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for operating Empire Market.
• Hamilton agreed to forfeit 1,230 bitcoin worth about $101 million and 24.4 ether.
• Empire Market facilitated over 4 million transactions worth more than $430 million between 2018 and 2020.
• Co-creator Thomas Pavey pleaded guilty and previously forfeited 1,584 bitcoin.