Rui-Siang Lin, a 23-year-old Taiwanese national known by various aliases including Pharoah and faro, was arrested in connection with his operation of "Incognito Market." This online narcotics marketplace on the dark web allowed users to anonymously buy and sell illegal drugs worldwide. Lin was apprehended at John F. Kennedy Airport on May 18 and is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willis in Manhattan federal court.
"Drug traffickers who think they can operate outside the law on the dark web are wrong," stated Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. He alleged that Lin orchestrated a $100 million dark web scheme through Incognito to traffic lethal drugs into the United States and other countries.
According to the complaint and indictment, Incognito Market was established in October 2020 and operated until March this year. During this period, it sold over $100 million worth of narcotics, including substantial quantities of cocaine and methamphetamines. The platform was accessible globally via the Tor web browser on the dark web or darknet.
Lin operated Incognito Market under the pseudonyms "Pharoah" or "faro." As Pharoah, he oversaw all operations of Incognito Market, including managing its employees, vendors, customers, and had ultimate decision-making authority over every aspect of this multimillion-dollar operation.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York commented on Lin's alleged operation of a sophisticated online narcotics marketplace which profited millions at the community's expense. He stressed that prosecutors from the Southern District of New York and their law enforcement partners would pursue criminal actors whether they operate on street corners or in the hidden corners of the internet.
Assistant Director in Charge James Smith of the FBI New York Field Office revealed that for nearly four years, Lin allegedly operated 'Incognito Market,' one of the largest online platforms for narcotics sales. Under anonymity's guise, Lin's alleged operation facilitated the purchase of lethal drugs and fraudulent prescription medication on a global scale.
Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York stated that Lin's audacious operation resulted in the illicit sale of over $100 million in narcotics, including mislabeled drugs later found to contain deadly fentanyl. He further added that Lin demonstrated his greed and disregard for others by attempting extortion during the platform's final days.
Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)'s New York Division stressed that they would continue to target individuals who use the dark web as a marketplace to promote illicit narcotics sales. Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Kansas City Field Office reaffirmed their commitment to disrupt and dismantle illegal drug sales on the dark web.
Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York Police Department (NYPD) commended investigators and all state and federal partners for their unwavering commitment to public safety.
If convicted, Lin faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life imprisonment for engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise; a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for narcotics conspiracy; a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for money laundering; and a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment for conspiracy to sell adulterated and misbranded medication. The sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by FBI, HSI, DEA, FDA-OCI, and NYPD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan B. Finkel and Nicholas Chiuchiolo for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting it.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States.