In February 2026, a U.S. court sentenced 24-year-old Lin Rui-xiang to 30 years in prison, ending his criminal empire on the Dark Web, "Incognito Market." Lin Rui-xiang graduated from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at National Taiwan University and was known for his outstanding academic achievements. However, his other side lurked in the Dark Web, operating an illegal drug trafficking platform under the alias "Pharaoh." His expertise in blockchain, cybersecurity, and cryptocurrency enabled him to build an astonishingly large black market empire.
Incognito Market: Amazon on the Dark Web
According to U.S. court documents , Incognito Market was established in October 2020. It mimicked the design of mainstream e-commerce platforms, featuring a user-friendly interface and even offering product reviews, search categorization, and customer support. However, it sold heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, and even counterfeit prescription drugs laced with fentanyl. Users could anonymously purchase drugs simply by logging in through the Tor browser. The platform attracted over 400,000 users and 1,800 drug dealers.
Building its own virtual bank and using cryptocurrency to conceal its financial flows.
The platform incorporated a virtual banking system called "Live Bank," allowing users to deposit Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR) to complete transactions. The platform took a 5% commission on each transaction to cover employee and server costs. Lin profited at least $6 million through this mechanism. The total transaction volume exceeded $100 million, equivalent to one ton of drugs flowing globally.
Website shutdown, extortion, and prosecution
Lin Ruixiang shut down the website in March 2024, having stolen at least $1 million from users. In his closure announcement, he openly threatened users, stating that he would release private messages and transaction records, demanding ransom. The announcement explicitly stated, "YES, THIS IS AN EXTORTION!!!", shocking the outside world with his arrogant attitude.
Mistakenly trusting the encrypted system, all transaction records were obtained by the FBI.
Most users believed that the platform's "automatic encryption" function would protect their private messages, but in reality, these records were never truly deleted and ultimately all fell into the hands of the FBI. This information, including user data, wallet addresses, purchased items, and amounts, constituted crucial evidence in the US investigation.
A poison pill caused a tragedy and resulted in a real death.
In September 2022, a 27-year-old man from Arkansas, USA, died after taking counterfeit "oxycodone" pills purchased from a platform. The drug was actually a fake containing fentanyl. Prosecutors considered this tragedy a direct consequence of Lin Ruixiang's criminal behavior and it became an important basis for aggravated sentencing.
The judge harshly rebuked him, calling him a "cyber drug kingpin," and sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
In her sentencing, U.S. Judge Colleen McMahon stated bluntly, "This is the most serious drug crime I have tried in my 27 and a half years. You are a drug lord who built a drug empire through the internet." Lin was sentenced to 30 years in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit more than $105 million in proceeds of his crimes.
US law enforcement agencies mobilized extensively for a multinational manhunt.
This case was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, DEA, FDA Criminal Investigation Bureau, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the New York City Police Department. It is also part of the Presidential Executive Order "Protecting the American People from Harm," which strengthens the fight against international criminal organizations and drug networks.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of the Dark Web, cryptocurrencies, and anonymous transactions. No matter where you hide or what technology you use, harming others will ultimately bring you to justice. "The internet is not a blind spot for the law"—this is the strongest message conveyed by the U.S. Department of Justice in this case.
This article, titled "National Taiwan University Computer Science and Technology Student Becomes Global Dark Web Drug Kingpin: Lin Ruixiang, Mastermind of Incognito Market, Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison," first appeared on ABMedia ABMedia .
