“The US Department of Justice today announced the liquidation of the Hydra Market (Hydra), the largest and longest-running darknet market in the world. In 2021, Hydra accounted for approximately 80% of all cryptocurrency transactions associated with the darknet market, and since 2015 the market has received approximately 5.2 billion dollars in cryptocurrency.
The seizure of Hydra servers and cryptocurrency wallets containing $25 million worth of Bitcoin was carried out this morning in Germany by the German Federal Criminal Police (Bundeskriminalamt) in cooperation with US law enforcement. ….
Beginning around November 2015, Pavlov allegedly operated a company called Promservis LLC, also known as the All Wheel Drive, All Wheels, and All Wheels Hosting Company. 4x4host.ruwhich administered the Hydra servers (Promservice). During this time, Pavlov, through his company Promservis, operated Hydra’s servers, allowing the market to function as a platform used by thousands of drug traffickers and other illegal sellers to distribute large quantities of illegal drugs and other illegal goods and services to thousands of buyers and launder billions of dollars. , obtained as a result of these illegal transactions.
As an active administrator of Hydra’s servers, Pavlov allegedly conspired with other Hydra operators to facilitate the site’s success by providing critical infrastructure that allowed Hydra to operate and thrive in the competitive environment of the darknet marketplace. In doing so, Pavlov allegedly facilitated Hydra’s activities and allowed Hydra to receive millions of dollars in commissions derived from illegal sales conducted through the site.
“ВЧК ОГПУ”