Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026)

A research archive on Bitcoin compiled in October 2026: US federal and state law (FinCEN's virtual-currency record from 1999, the 2020 unhosted-wallet rule and its 2026 withdrawal, notes on all 50 states and DC), KYC/AML for buying and selling, banking, exchanges, wallets, payment processors, hacks and their causes, patents, the 2007–2011 origins, and the evidence on who Satoshi Nakamoto is. Every note dates and cites its claims and labels anything unverified, contested or fringe. Government, court and patent records are kept here in full; other sources are cited with a link to the original. Filter by case to pick a topic, such as fincen, states or notes. Download it all as a dataset. Research, not advice. These notes explain what happened and why; they are not recommendations to buy or sell. Statuses of bills and rules are as checked on the date each note gives.

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1030 documents

United States Files A Civil Action To Forfeit Cryptocurrency Valued At Over One Billion U.S. Dollars (Silk Road, "Individual X")

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2020-11-05

DOJ, USAO NDCA. 2020-11-05. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # United States Files A Civil Action To Forfeit Cryptocurrency Valued At Over One Billion U.S. Dollars Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — USAO - California, Northern Published: 2020-11-05 URL: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/united-states-files-civil-action-forfeit-cryptocurrency-valued-over-one-billion-us Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json) Copy type: full text of a U.S. Department of Justice press release (a U.S. government work, public domain), converted from the release's HTML body to plain text. Links in the…

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

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2020-11-05

U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal. (filed by USAO NDCA). 2020-11-05. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Case 3:20-cv-07811-VC Document 1 Filed 11/05/20 Page 1 of 8 1 DAVID L. ANDERSON (CABN 149604) 2 United States Attorney 3 HALLIE HOFFMAN (CABN 210020) Chief, Criminal Division 4 DAVID COUNTRYMAN (CABN 226995) 5 CHRIS KALTSAS (NYBN 5460902) CLAUDIA QUIROZ (CABN 254419) 6 WILLIAM FRENTZEN (LABN 24421) Assistant United States Attorneys 7 450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055 8 San Francisco, California 94102-3495 Telephone: (415) 436-7303 9 FAX: (415) 436-7234 [email protected] 10 Attorneys for United States of America 1…

DarkMarket: world's largest illegal dark web marketplace taken down

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2021-01-12

Europol. 2021-01-12. Citation only: the text is not republished here (Europol: © Europol, private use only). Original: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/darkmarket-worlds-largest-illegal-dark-web-marketplace-taken-down

Justice Department Investigation Leads to Shutdown of Largest Online Darknet Marketplace (Hydra)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2022-04-05

DOJ, Office of Public Affairs. 2022-04-05. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # Justice Department Investigation Leads to Shutdown of Largest Online Darknet Marketplace Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — Criminal Division, Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), USAO - California, Northern Published: 2022-04-05 URL: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-investigation-leads-shutdown-largest-online-darknet-marketplace Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json) Copy type: full text of a…

Treasury Sanctions Russia-Based Hydra, World's Largest Darknet Market, and Ransomware-Enabling Virtual Currency Exchange Garantex (jy0701)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2022-04-05

U.S. Treasury, OFAC. 2022-04-05. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # Treasury Sanctions Russia-Based Hydra, World's Largest Darknet Market, and Ransomware-Enabling Virtual Currency Exchange Garantex Publisher: U.S. Department of the Treasury (press release jy0701) Published: 2022-04-05 URL: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0701 Copy type: full text of a U.S. Treasury press release (U.S. government work, public domain), converted from HTML to plain text. Read 2026-10-09. --- United States, International Partners Carry Out Multilateral Operation Targeting Russian Cybercrime WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of F…

U.S. Attorney Announces Historic $3.36 Billion Cryptocurrency Seizure And Conviction In Connection With Silk Road Dark Web Fraud (James Zhong)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2022-11-07

DOJ, USAO SDNY. 2022-11-07. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # U.S. Attorney Announces Historic $3.36 Billion Cryptocurrency Seizure And Conviction In Connection With Silk Road Dark Web Fraud Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — USAO - New York, Southern Published: 2022-11-07 URL: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/us-attorney-announces-historic-336-billion-cryptocurrency-seizure-and-conviction Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json) Copy type: full text of a U.S. Department of Justice press release (a U.S. government work, public domain), converted from the release's HTML body to p…

United States v. Ulbricht, Doc. 394-1 (Exhibit 1): Amended Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2022-11-07

U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y.. 2022-11-07. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Case 1:14-cr-00068-LGS Document 394-1 Filed 11/07/22 Page 1 of 6 EXHIBIT 1 Case 1:14-cr-00068-LGS Document 394-1 Filed 11/07/22 Page 2 of 6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK -------------------------------- x : UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AMENDED PRELIMINARY : ORDER OF FORFEITURE -v.- AS TO SPECIFIC PROPERTY : ROSS WILLIAM ULBRICHT, a/k/a “Dread Pirate Roberts,” : S1 14 Cr. 68 (LGS) a/k/a “DPR,”…

United States v. Ulbricht, Doc. 394-5 (Exhibit 5): Affidavit of IRS-CI Special Agent in support of forfeiture motion

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2022-11-07

U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y.. 2022-11-07. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Case 1:14-cr-00068-LGS Document 394-5 Filed 11/07/22 Page 1 of 26 EXHIBIT 5 Case 1:14-cr-00068-LGS Document 394-5 Filed 11/07/22 Page 2 of 26 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF -v.- GOVERNMENT’S FORFEITURE MOTION ROSS ULBRICHT, a/k/a “Dread Pirate Roberts,”…

United States v. Ulbricht, No. 1:14-cr-00068-LGS (S.D.N.Y.), Doc. 394: Government letter seeking amended forfeiture order (Zhong bitcoin)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2022-11-07

U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. (filed by USAO SDNY). 2022-11-07. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Case 1:14-cr-00068-LGS Document 394 Filed 11/07/22 Page 1 of 12 U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney Southern District of New York The Silvio J. Mollo Building One Saint Andrew’s Plaza New York, New York 10007 November…

Criminal Marketplace Disrupted in International Cyber Operation (Genesis Market, Operation Cookie Monster)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2023-04-05

DOJ, Office of Public Affairs. 2023-04-05. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # Criminal Marketplace Disrupted in International Cyber Operation Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — Criminal Division, Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Criminal - Office of International Affairs, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office of the Attorney General, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern Published: 2023-04-05 URL: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/criminal-marketplace-disrupted-international-cyber-operation Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json)…

Owners of "Empire Market" Charged in Chicago With Operating $430 Million Dark Web Marketplace

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2024-06-14

DOJ, USAO NDIL. 2024-06-14. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # Owners of “Empire Market” Charged in Chicago With Operating $430 Million Dark Web Marketplace Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), USAO - Illinois, Northern Published: 2024-06-14 URL: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/owners-empire-market-charged-chicago-operating-430-million-dark-web-marketplace Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json) Copy type: full text of a U.S. Department of Justice press release (a U.S. government work, public domain), converted from the release's HTML body t…

Europe-wide takedown hits longest-standing dark web drug market (Archetyp Market)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2025-06-16

Europol. 2025-06-16. Citation only: the text is not republished here (Europol: © Europol, private use only). Original: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/europe-wide-takedown-hits-longest-standing-dark-web-drug-market

"Incognito Market" Owner Sentenced To 30 Years For Operating One Of The World's Largest Online Narcotics Marketplaces

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2026-02-03

DOJ, USAO SDNY. 2026-02-03. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # “Incognito Market” Owner Sentenced To 30 Years For Operating One Of The World’s Largest Online Narcotics Marketplaces Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — USAO - New York, Southern Published: 2026-02-03 URL: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/incognito-market-owner-sentenced-30-years-operating-one-worlds-largest-online Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json) Copy type: full text of a U.S. Department of Justice press release (a U.S. government work, public domain), converted from the release's HTML body to plain text. Lin…

Co-Creator of Dark Web Marketplace Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison (Empire Market)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2026-10-07

DOJ, USAO NDIL. 2026-10-07. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: # Co-Creator of Dark Web Marketplace Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison Publisher: U.S. Department of Justice — Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), USAO - Illinois, Northern Published: 2026-10-07 URL: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/co-creator-dark-web-marketplace-sentenced-40-years-federal-prison Retrieved: 2026-10-09 via the DOJ press-release API (https://www.justice.gov/api/v1/press_releases.json) Copy type: full text of a U.S. Department of Justice press release (a U.S. government work, public domain), converted from the release's HTML body to plain text. Links in the origin…

Sources: dark-web markets — public record only

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Darkweb Public Record · snapshot 2026-10-09

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 .

District of Columbia v. Athena Bitcoin, Inc., complaint

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Exchanges · snapshot 2025-09-08

D.C. OAG. 2025-09-08. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Civil Division DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, a municipal corporation, 400 6th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001, Civil Action No.: __________________ Plaintiff, COMPLAINT v. JURY TRIAL DEMANDED ATHENA BITCOIN, INC. 1 SE 3rd Avenue, STE 2740 Miami, Florida 33131 Defendant. Plaintiff District of Columbia (“District”), by its Office…

"Attorney General Schwalb Sues Crypto ATM Operator…" (Athena Bitcoin)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Exchanges · snapshot 2025-09-08

D.C. Office of the Attorney General. 2025-09-08. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Attorney General Schwalb Sues Crypto ATM Operator for Financially Exploiting District Residents Skip to main content The Child Support Services Division (CSSD) will be closed for the Indigenous Peoples Day holiday on Monday, October 12, 2026. The office will reopen on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 8:15am. District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb Office of the Attorney General Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb A A+ Contact Community Opportunities Newsroom Search Men…