DeepDotWeb was a news site dedicated to events in and surrounding the

dark web The dark web is the World Wide Web content that exists on darknets ( overlay networks) that use the Internet but require specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. Through the dark web, private computer networks can communica ...

featuring interviews and reviews about

darknet market A darknet market is a commercial website on the dark web that operates via darknets such as Tor and I2P. They function primarily as black markets, selling or brokering transactions involving drugs, cyber-arms, weapons, counterfeit currency, ...

s, Tor hidden services,

privacy Privacy (, ) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of a ...

bitcoin Bitcoin (abbreviation: BTC; Currency symbol, sign: ₿) is the first Decentralized application, decentralized cryptocurrency. Based on a free-market ideology, bitcoin was invented in 2008 when an unknown entity published a white paper under ...

, and related news. The website was seized on May 7, 2019, during an investigation into the owners'

affiliate marketing Affiliate marketing is a marketing arrangement in which Affiliate (commerce), affiliates receive a wiktionary:commission, commission for each visit, signup or sale they generate for a merchant. This arrangement allows businesses to Outsourcing, ...

model, in which they received money for posting links to certain darknet markets, and for which they were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. In March 2021 site administrator Tal Prihar pleaded guilty to his charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Coverage has included darknet market drug busts, pedophile

crowdfunding Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and Alternative Finance, alternative finance, to fund projects "withou ...

, the details of hacking of darknet markets, as well as the diversification of markets such as TheRealDeal selling software exploits. Site features included

blacklisted Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list; if people are on a blacklist, then they are considere ...

markets, comparisons, and reviews. In May 2015,

McAfee McAfee Corp. ( ), formerly known as McAfee Associates, Inc. from 1987 to 1997 and 2004 to 2014, Network Associates Inc. from 1997 to 2004, and Intel Security Group from 2014 to 2017, is an American proprietary software company focused on online ...

covered a free

ransomware Ransomware is a type of malware that Encryption, encrypts the victim's personal data until a ransom is paid. Difficult-to-trace Digital currency, digital currencies such as paysafecard or Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency, cryptocurrencies are com ...

-as-a-service called 'Tox' hosted somewhere on the dark web whose developers gave an interview to DeepDotWeb.

Domain seizure

On May 7, 2019, the deepdotweb.com and its sister .onion domain were redirected to a Domain Seizure notice. The notice was presented by the FBI and prominently displayed the logos of

EUROPOL Europol, officially the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, is the law enforcement agency of the European Union (EU). Established in 1998, it is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and serves as the central hub for coordinating c ...

and numerous affiliate law enforcement agencies, including the British

National Crime Agency The National Crime Agency (NCA) is a Law enforcement agency#natlea, national law enforcement agency in the United Kingdom. It is the UK's lead agency against organised crime; Human trafficking, human, Arms trafficking, weapon and Illegal drug t ...

and the German Bundeskriminalamt. The Israeli police alleged that the owners of DeepDotWeb had been receiving

Bitcoin Bitcoin (abbreviation: BTC; Currency symbol, sign: ₿) is the first Decentralized application, decentralized cryptocurrency. Based on a free-market ideology, bitcoin was invented in 2008 when an unknown entity published a white paper under ...

in exchange for links to black market sites on the deep web.

Criminal charges

In May 2019 site owners, Tal Prihar and Michael Phan were indicted in United States court, each on one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...

, DeepDotWeb received about $8.4 million in kickbacks from purchases of fentanyl, firearms, hacking tools, and other contraband on Darknet marketplaces, and transferred this to personal wallets using shell companies. According to the Department of Justice, while DeepDotWeb was in operation a total of 23.6 percent of all orders completed on AlphaBay involved DeepDotWeb. How_DeepDotWeb_Profited_by_Referring_the_General_Public_to_Darknet_Marketplaces

How_DeepDotWeb_Profited_by_Referring_the_General_Public_to_Darknet_Marketplaces

In March 2021 site administrator Tal Prihar pleaded guilty to his charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. In January 2022, site administrator Tal Prihar was sentenced to 97 months in prison for money laundering. He was ordered to forfeit more than $8.4 million.

References

{{Tor hidden services Dark web American news websites Defunct American websites Internet services shut down by a legal challenge Internet properties disestablished in 2019 Internet properties established in 2013 Money laundering Domain name seizures by United States

Domain seizure

Criminal charges

See also

References