Taiwanese 'Pharaoh' Arrested: US Police Take Down Darknet Drug Market Incognito
Taiwanese national Rui-Siang Lin, previously known as a student and a hacker, has been arrested by US police at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Lin, who operated the darknet marketplace Incognito under the alias 'Pharaoh', faces potential life sentence for various offenses related to drugs and cybercrime.
Incognito, founded by Lin, required users to pass an OPSEC quiz and demonstrate proficiency with PGP encryption protocol to trade. The marketplace facilitated the sale of approximately $100 million worth of drugs since late 2020. Lin continued to work as an IT specialist at the St. Lucia embassy in Taipei while operating Incognito. In March 2024, Lin shut down the marketplace and attempted to blackmail users for a $20,000 fee. The FBI traced a Bitcoin wallet linked to Lin, leading to his arrest.
Lin's journey into the darknet began before his involvement in Incognito. He founded the web service Antinalysis, a tool for on-chain transaction analysis, around the same time.
Lin's arrest marks a significant blow to the darknet drug trade. The potential life sentence he faces underscores the seriousness of his alleged crimes. The FBI's investigation, which involved tracing Lin's Bitcoin wallet, demonstrates the agency's commitment to dismantling darknet marketplaces.
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