DeepDotWeb Operator Pleads Guilty to Laundering $8.4M in Bitcoin Kickbacks
Tal Prihar admitted to taking bitcoin payments from darknet marketplaces in exchange for referral links.
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One of the administrators of darknet news site DeepDotWeb pleaded guilty to federal money-laundering conspiracy charges, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Tal Prihar, a 37-year-old Israeli based in Brazil, admitted to receiving 8,155 BTC (worth $8.4 million at the time) from vendors whose illicit products he linked to as the former administrator of the now-defunct blog.
He further admitted to moving the crypto through a web of shell companies in an attempt to launder the funds.
Prosecutors described Prihar as a “broker” for drug and gun vendors whose illicit merchandise lies beyond the reach of Google and other web crawlers. Users of the unindexed dark web usually must know where to look beforehand, but with DeepDotWeb, one of the better-known dark web sites from 2013 to 2019, they found a ready guide.
Prosecutors said he acknowledged DeepDotWeb was a “gateway to numerous dark web marketplaces” that rewarded him with bitcoin kickbacks for every order his site referred.
It’s wild to think how something that started as a news site ended up becoming a front for laundering millions in crypto. The DeepDotWeb case is a perfect example of how even platforms that claim to be informational can cross the line when money and anonymity are involved. $8.4 million in kickbacks isn’t just spare change, it’s a reminder of how big the darknet economy has become and how easy it is to get swept up in it without realizing the legal consequences. That’s why it’s more important than ever to stay informed and make careful, educated choices when exploring the darknet. Sites like https://darknetcanada.com/ are changing the game by offering transparent, harm-reduction-focused resources. They’re not pushing products, they’re pushing knowledge, safety, and accountability. Whether you're just curious or already navigating that world, it's a solid go-to for staying grounded and informed.