Darknet Market Owner Arrested in New York - FBI Uncovers Identity Through Cryptocurrency

A 23-year-old man has been arrested in New York on charges of owning, operating, and profiting from a $100 million darknet drug market. Authorities tracked cryptocurrency transfers that led to his identification.

Rui Xiang Lin, known online as "Faron," was detained at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on May 18. He appeared in federal court on Monday, May 20, according to a statement from Manhattan prosecutors.

The FBI identified Lin by tracing cryptocurrency transactions from the Incognito Market to an account at a centralized cryptocurrency exchange registered in his name. FBI task force officer Mark Reubens testified that a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by Lin received funds from the Incognito Market wallet, which were subsequently transferred to Lin's exchange account.