Dark Web Drug Marketplace Operator Sentenced to 30 Years in US Prison
Rui-Siang Lin, the 24-year-old operator of the dark web drug marketplace 'Incognito Market,' has been sentenced to 30 years in US federal prison. Operating under the alias 'Pharaoh,' Lin pleaded guilty in December 2024 to charges including narcotics conspiracy, money laundering, and distributing adulterated medications. The platform facilitated over $105 million in illegal drug sales globally before its shutdown in March 2024.
US District Judge Colleen McMahon handed down the sentence in Manhattan federal court, citing Lin's central role in managing the marketplace's infrastructure, finances, and operations. Prosecutors revealed the site processed more than 640,000 narcotics transactions, serving hundreds of thousands of buyers worldwide. Attorney Jay Clayton described Lin as 'one of the world's most prolific drug traffickers,' whose actions exacerbated the opioid crisis and led to at least one fatal overdose.
