Incognito Market Operator known as "Pharaoh" sentenced to 30 years in the USA

Rui-Siang Lin, a 24-year-old Taiwanese national, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after being identified as the mastermind behind the pseudonym “Pharaoh” on the narcotics platform Incognito Market. The case represents one of the largest online drug trafficking crackdown operations since the collapse of the historic Silk Road, demonstrating how American authorities can dismantle criminal networks even in seemingly anonymous environments.

The Scale of the Criminal Operation

During nearly four years of operation—between October 2020 and March 2024—the market under the control of the Pharaoh operator processed over $105 million in illicit narcotics transactions. Investigators documented approximately 640,000 transactions conducted by hundreds of thousands of buyers worldwide. According to U.S. federal prosecutors, this criminal infrastructure contributed to at least one death and significantly worsened the opioid crisis plaguing the United States.

The Web of Evidence: Blockchain and Operational Errors

The intelligence work that led to the capture of the Pharaoh operator involved detailed analysis of blockchain transactions, undercover purchase operations, and domain registration records. Investigations revealed that critical operational security failures gradually exposed the true identity behind the pseudonym. Registration documents contained direct personal information: Lin’s full name, phone number, and residential address, turning the anonymous figure into an identifiable target.

In December 2024, Lin pleaded guilty to multiple charges: conspiracy to distribute narcotics, money laundering, and conspiracy to sell adulterated and mislabelled pharmaceutical substances. The confession solidified evidence that U.S. prosecutors had been gathering through simultaneous investigations across multiple jurisdictions.

Background and Significance of the Case

Before becoming the Pharaoh operator of the largest darknet drug platform, Lin attended National Taiwan University. Later, he completed mandatory alternative civil service in St. Lucia, where he provided technical support and occasionally assisted local police with cybersecurity and cryptography training. This transition from potential legitimate professional to digital criminal illustrates the complexities of modern cybersecurity.

Federal authorities have described this conviction as a milestone in the fight against online black markets, demonstrating that even sophisticated pseudonyms and decentralized platforms do not offer permanent protection against advanced forensic investigations.