FBI Arrests 'Pharaoh', Kingpin of Darknet Drug Market Incognito
US police have arrested 23-year-old Taiwanese national Rui-Siang Lin, also known as 'Pharaoh', at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Lin is the operator of the Darknet market Incognito, which has been a hub for illegal drug sales since late 2020.
Incognito's trading volume surged in the summer of 2023, reaching a staggering five million dollars per month. The market's high-security standards, including an OPSEC quiz and PGP encryption proficiency, attracted users seeking to hide their activities. Lin's arrest came after the FBI gained access to an Incognito server in January, discovering a Bitcoin wallet used to purchase additional domains. This led investigators to Lin.
Lin founded the web service Antinalysis in 2021, a tool designed to help users avoid detection on the blockchain. Ironically, this tool may have contributed to his downfall. In March 2023, Lin shut down Incognito and attempted to blackmail users by threatening to leak their messages and transactions for $20,000. This action may have raised red flags for law enforcement.
Drugs worth approximately $100 million have been sold through Incognito since the end of 2020, including large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine. Lin's arrest is a significant blow to the market's operations and a victory for law enforcement in their ongoing battle against Darknet markets.
Lin faces potential life sentence for various drug and cybercrime-related offenses. His arrest highlights the growing international cooperation in combating Darknet markets and the importance of tracing cryptocurrency transactions. Despite the high security measures employed by Incognito, law enforcement agencies continue to make progress in dismantling these illegal platforms.
