Sources: dark-web markets — public record only
Document text
Research, not advice. Part of the Bitcoin research archive (October 2026). Claims labelled unverified, contested or fringe are reported, not endorsed; statuses of bills and rules are as of the date checked. Government, court and patent records are public domain; the research notes are CC BY 4.0.
Sources: dark-web markets — public record only
Saved copies for the section "Dark-web markets — public record only" in market/2026-10-09-merchants-accepting-bitcoin.md. Everything was retrieved on 2026-10-09.
What is here: only law-enforcement press releases and court documents. Academic papers and blockchain-analytics reports are summarized, with links, in the market file and are not copied here.
What is never here: no .onion addresses, mirror URLs or instructions for reaching any market. Every file was machine-scanned for .onion addresses before saving, and image-only pages of court PDFs were checked by eye. Court documents that show a market's address (in text or in screenshots) are listed below under "Linked, not copied" and were not saved.
How: DOJ releases came from the DOJ press-release API (justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json), because justice.gov's HTML pages answer automated requests with a bot challenge, which was not bypassed. Court PDFs are the attachments DOJ published with those releases. Europol releases came from Europol's public content API for each page URL. Treasury was fetched directly. robots.txt was checked for each site and requests to a site were spaced at least 2 seconds apart. Each .txt next to a PDF is pdftotext -layout output for searching. sha256 is the first 12 hex digits of the saved file's SHA-256.
Rights: DOJ, Treasury and the court filings are U.S. government works (public domain). Europol releases are copyright Europol; its legal notice (read 2026-10-09) allows use for private purposes and requires permission for other reproduction. They are kept only because this repo is private and local (no git remote on 2026-10-09). Do not publish or push the Europol files without Europol's permission.
Saved
| Title | Issuer | Date | URL | File | sha256 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Seizure Of Additional $28 Million Worth Of Bitcoins Belonging To Ross William Ulbricht (144,336 BTC) | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2013-10-25 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-announces-seizure-additional-28-million-worth-bitcoins-belonging | 2013-10-25-DOJ-SDNY-silk-road-seizure-144336-btc.md |
ac88a911b733 |
| Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Forfeiture Of $28 Million Worth Of Bitcoins Belonging To Silk Road (29,655 BTC) | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2014-01-16 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-announces-forfeiture-28-million-worth-bitcoins-belonging-silk | 2014-01-16-DOJ-SDNY-silk-road-forfeiture-29655-btc.md |
66896c71b4f2 |
| Operator Of "Silk Road 2.0" Website Charged In Manhattan Federal Court | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2014-11-06 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/operator-silk-road-20-website-charged-manhattan-federal-court | 2014-11-06-DOJ-SDNY-silk-road-2-operator-charged.md |
22a80982fd36 |
| Global action against dark markets on Tor network (Operation Onymous) | Europol | 2014-11-07 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/global-action-against-dark-markets-tor-network | 2014-11-07-Europol-operation-onymous.md |
fbd0f6c59993 |
| Ross Ulbricht, The Creator And Owner Of The "Silk Road" Website, Found Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court On All Counts | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2015-02-05 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ross-ulbricht-creator-and-owner-silk-road-website-found-guilty-manhattan-federal-court | 2015-02-05-DOJ-SDNY-ulbricht-convicted.md |
78bca1b7317e |
| Ross Ulbricht, A/K/A "Dread Pirate Roberts," Sentenced In Manhattan Federal Court To Life In Prison | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2015-05-29 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ross-ulbricht-aka-dread-pirate-roberts-sentenced-manhattan-federal-court-life-prison | 2015-05-29-DOJ-SDNY-ulbricht-sentenced-life.md |
2f8ad9830001 |
| United States v. Alexandre Cazes et al., No. 1:17-cr-00144 (E.D. Cal.), Indictment (court document, attachment to the DOJ AlphaBay release) | U.S. District Court, E.D. Cal. (filed by USAO EDCA and DOJ CCIPS) | 2017-06-01 | https://www.justice.gov/media/905386/dl?inline | 2017-06-01-US-v-Cazes-EDCal-1-17-cr-00144-indictment.pdf (+ .txt) |
030ac54b4277 |
| AlphaBay seizure banner ("This hidden site has been seized"), attachment to the DOJ AlphaBay release | DOJ / FBI / DEA | 2017-07-20 | https://www.justice.gov/media/905411/dl?inline | 2017-07-20-AlphaBay-seizure-banner-DOJ-attachment.pdf |
9eaac27bb62a |
| AlphaBay, the Largest Online 'Dark Market,' Shut Down | DOJ, Office of Public Affairs | 2017-07-20 | https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/alphabay-largest-online-dark-market-shut-down | 2017-07-20-DOJ-OPA-alphabay-shut-down.md |
00f3f6b03d12 |
| Massive blow to criminal Dark Web activities after globally coordinated operation (AlphaBay and Hansa) | Europol | 2017-07-20 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/massive-blow-to-criminal-dark-web-activities-after-globally-coordinated-operation | 2017-07-20-Europol-alphabay-hansa-takedown.md |
89901a310ef7 |
| Three Germans Who Allegedly Operated Dark Web Marketplace with Over 1 Million Users Face U.S. Narcotics and Money Laundering Charges (Wall Street Market) | DOJ, Office of Public Affairs | 2019-05-03 | https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/three-germans-who-allegedly-operated-dark-web-marketplace-over-1-million-users-face-us | 2019-05-03-DOJ-OPA-wall-street-market-charges.md |
65b140aa8e86 |
| Double blow to dark web marketplaces (Wall Street Market; Silkkitie/Valhalla) | Europol | 2019-05-03 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/double-blow-to-dark-web-marketplaces | 2019-05-03-Europol-wall-street-market-valhalla.md |
48c9e5dfc92f |
| United States Files A Civil Action To Forfeit Cryptocurrency Valued At Over One Billion U.S. Dollars (Silk Road, "Individual X") | DOJ, USAO NDCA | 2020-11-05 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/united-states-files-civil-action-forfeit-cryptocurrency-valued-over-one-billion-us | 2020-11-05-DOJ-NDCA-silk-road-69370-btc-forfeiture-action.md |
10e6ecc549eb |
| United States v. Approximately 69,370 Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Gold (BTG), Bitcoin SV (BSV), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), No. 3:20-cv-07811 (N.D. Cal.), Complaint for Forfeiture, Doc. 1 | U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal. (filed by USAO NDCA) | 2020-11-05 | https://www.justice.gov/media/1103566/dl?inline | 2020-11-05-US-v-approx-69370-BTC-NDCal-3-20-cv-07811-complaint.pdf (+ .txt) |
b1c377d14688 |
| DarkMarket: world's largest illegal dark web marketplace taken down | Europol | 2021-01-12 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/darkmarket-worlds-largest-illegal-dark-web-marketplace-taken-down | 2021-01-12-Europol-darkmarket-taken-down.md |
ff9c588623ec |
| Justice Department Investigation Leads to Shutdown of Largest Online Darknet Marketplace (Hydra) | DOJ, Office of Public Affairs | 2022-04-05 | https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-investigation-leads-shutdown-largest-online-darknet-marketplace | 2022-04-05-DOJ-OPA-hydra-shutdown.md |
4dbbd6ca8f9d |
| Treasury Sanctions Russia-Based Hydra, World's Largest Darknet Market, and Ransomware-Enabling Virtual Currency Exchange Garantex (jy0701) | U.S. Treasury, OFAC | 2022-04-05 | https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0701 | 2022-04-05-Treasury-OFAC-hydra-garantex-sanctions.md |
0a407ce11172 |
| U.S. Attorney Announces Historic $3.36 Billion Cryptocurrency Seizure And Conviction In Connection With Silk Road Dark Web Fraud (James Zhong) | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2022-11-07 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/us-attorney-announces-historic-336-billion-cryptocurrency-seizure-and-conviction | 2022-11-07-DOJ-SDNY-zhong-50676-btc-seizure.md |
a15ac5f3aa86 |
| United States v. Ulbricht, No. 1:14-cr-00068-LGS (S.D.N.Y.), Doc. 394: Government letter seeking amended forfeiture order (Zhong bitcoin) | U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. (filed by USAO SDNY) | 2022-11-07 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/media/1257966/dl?inline | 2022-11-07-US-v-Ulbricht-SDNY-14-cr-68-Doc394-govt-letter-forfeiture.pdf (+ .txt) |
e1333cd0cabb |
| United States v. Ulbricht, Doc. 394-1 (Exhibit 1): Amended Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property | U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. | 2022-11-07 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/media/1257971/dl?inline | 2022-11-07-US-v-Ulbricht-SDNY-14-cr-68-Doc394-1-amended-preliminary-order-of-forfeiture.pdf (+ .txt) |
9c76507d7e88 |
| United States v. Ulbricht, Doc. 394-5 (Exhibit 5): Affidavit of IRS-CI Special Agent in support of forfeiture motion | U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. | 2022-11-07 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/media/1257976/dl?inline | 2022-11-07-US-v-Ulbricht-SDNY-14-cr-68-Doc394-5-IRS-CI-forfeiture-affidavit.pdf (+ .txt) |
e7ff2933c04c |
| Criminal Marketplace Disrupted in International Cyber Operation (Genesis Market, Operation Cookie Monster) | DOJ, Office of Public Affairs | 2023-04-05 | https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/criminal-marketplace-disrupted-international-cyber-operation | 2023-04-05-DOJ-OPA-genesis-market-disrupted.md |
f6f7563c9bad |
| Takedown of notorious hacker marketplace selling your identity to criminals (Genesis Market) | Europol | 2023-04-05 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/takedown-of-notorious-hacker-marketplace-selling-your-identity-to-criminals | 2023-04-05-Europol-genesis-market-takedown.md |
9d823a1c205b |
| 288 dark web vendors arrested in major marketplace seizure (Operation SpecTor; Monopoly Market) | Europol | 2023-05-02 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/288-dark-web-vendors-arrested-in-major-marketplace-seizure | 2023-05-02-Europol-operation-spector.md |
ef16f11bf0b4 |
| Owners of "Empire Market" Charged in Chicago With Operating $430 Million Dark Web Marketplace | DOJ, USAO NDIL | 2024-06-14 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/owners-empire-market-charged-chicago-operating-430-million-dark-web-marketplace | 2024-06-14-DOJ-NDIL-empire-market-owners-charged.md |
4e0df531e5a5 |
| 270 arrested in global dark web crackdown targeting online drug and criminal networks (Operation RapTor) | Europol | 2025-05-22 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/270-arrested-in-global-dark-web-crackdown-targeting-online-drug-and-criminal-networks | 2025-05-22-Europol-operation-raptor.md |
591c6b217b74 |
| Europe-wide takedown hits longest-standing dark web drug market (Archetyp Market) | Europol | 2025-06-16 | https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/europe-wide-takedown-hits-longest-standing-dark-web-drug-market | 2025-06-16-Europol-archetyp-market-takedown.md |
adbdefa03c31 |
| "Incognito Market" Owner Sentenced To 30 Years For Operating One Of The World's Largest Online Narcotics Marketplaces | DOJ, USAO SDNY | 2026-02-03 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/incognito-market-owner-sentenced-30-years-operating-one-worlds-largest-online | 2026-02-03-DOJ-SDNY-incognito-market-owner-sentenced.md |
80b1ae29f960 |
| Co-Creator of Dark Web Marketplace Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison (Empire Market) | DOJ, USAO NDIL | 2026-10-07 | https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/co-creator-dark-web-marketplace-sentenced-40-years-federal-prison | 2026-10-07-DOJ-NDIL-empire-market-cocreator-sentenced.md |
3133929dbc19 |
Linked, not copied
These are public government or court documents, but each shows a market's .onion address, so no copy is kept. Read them at the source if needed.
| Title | Issuer | Date | URL | Why not copied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Dmitry Olegovich Pavlov (Hydra server administrator), No. 3:22-cr-00143-CRB (N.D. Cal.), Indictment | U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal. | 2022-04-05 | https://www.justice.gov/media/1216746/dl?inline | Scanned exhibits are browser screenshots whose address bar shows the market's .onion address. Facts used: Hydra created about 2015; Hydra-controlled wallets received about $5.2 billion in cryptocurrency from about January 2016 to March 2022; about 80% of darknet-market crypto transactions in 2021. |
| United States v. Alexandre Cazes, Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem, No. 1:17-at-00557 (E.D. Cal.) | U.S. District Court, E.D. Cal. | filed 2017-07-19 | https://www.justice.gov/media/905371/dl?inline | Text contains the market's .onion address. |
| United States v. Tibo Lousee, Klaus-Martin Frost and Jonathan Kalla (Wall Street Market), Criminal Complaint (C.D. Cal.) | U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal. | 2019-05 | https://www.justice.gov/media/1002976/dl?inline | Scanned, poorly OCR'd affidavit; could not be fully checked for addresses. |
| United States v. Marcos Paulo De Oliveira-Annibale (Wall Street Market moderator), Criminal Complaint (E.D. Cal.) | U.S. District Court, E.D. Cal. | 2019-05 | https://www.justice.gov/media/1002981/dl?inline | Text contains .onion addresses. |
Read but not saved (summarized in the market file)
| Title | Issuer | Date | URL | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press release on the Hydra takedown (German): servers seized, 543 BTC (about EUR 23 million) seized, about 17 million customer accounts and over 19,000 vendor accounts, turnover of at least EUR 1.23 billion in 2020 | Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) with Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt am Main (ZIT) | 2022-04-05 | https://www.bka.de/DE/Presse/Listenseite_Pressemitteilungen/2022/Presse2022/220405_PM_IllegalerDarknetMarktplatz.html | bka.de refused direct connections from this machine; read through the web-fetch tool only, so no verbatim copy could be made. |
| Clemency grants by President Donald J. Trump (2025-present): Ross William Ulbricht, full pardon, 2025-01-21 | DOJ, Office of the Pardon Attorney | read 2026-10-09 | https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-present | Read through the web-fetch tool; the page is a running list, not saved. |