Rahim Hamilton, identified by US authorities as a co-founder of the dark-web marketplace Empire Market, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison and ordered to pay a $5 million fine. The sentence was handed down on Oct. 5 after Hamilton pleaded guilty in January to a drug-conspiracy charge.
Prosecutors said Empire Market operated from 2018 to 2020 and handled more than 4 million transactions with total sales above $430 million. According to the case, the platform relied entirely on cryptocurrency payments and was used to facilitate large-scale sales of illegal drugs as well as other illicit goods and services.
Marketplace activity detailed by prosecutors
Authorities said Hamilton and fellow co-founder Thomas Pavey ran Empire Market during its two-year operation. Prosecutors alleged that drug sales accounted for roughly $375 million of the platform’s total volume.
The marketplace was used to sell fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, according to the government. It also hosted listings for stolen account credentials, personal information, counterfeit currency, and hacking tools.
Use of crypto and concealment tools
Court filings described Empire Market as a crypto-only platform, a structure prosecutors said was intended to help users and operators avoid law-enforcement detection. The government also said the site encouraged customers and vendors to use mixing services and encrypted communications to make transaction trails harder to follow.
Prosecutors further said the platform included a rating feature that let buyers review how effectively sellers concealed drugs in shipments, underscoring the marketplace’s role in facilitating illicit trade rather than merely hosting listings.
Forfeiture of bitcoin, ether, and property
In addition to the prison term and fine, forfeiture proceedings are continuing against assets described as criminal proceeds. Hamilton agreed to forfeit about 1,230 Bitcoin, 24.4 Ether, and three properties in Virginia purchased with those proceeds.
Authorities also seized cryptocurrency, cash, and precious metals valued at about $75 million at the time of seizure. The case highlights how digital assets remained central both to the marketplace’s operation and to the government’s recovery efforts after the investigation.
Co-founder’s sentencing still ahead
Pavey, the other co-founder named by prosecutors, is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. He has also pleaded guilty to a drug-conspiracy charge.
Under his agreement, Pavey is set to forfeit about 1,584 Bitcoin, gold bars, three vehicles, and two properties in Florida. His sentencing will be the next confirmed step in the broader US case tied to Empire Market.
Source: en.bloomingbit.io