A Taiwanese man who ran one of the world’s largest online drug marketplaces has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by a US court.
Rui‑Siang Lin, also known online as Pharoah or faro, operated Incognito Market, a major darknet platform that sold more than $105 million worth of illegal drugs to customers across the globe. Lin was arrested in May 2024 and pleaded guilty in December to multiple charges, including money laundering and conspiracy to distribute narcotics.
US District Judge Colleen McMahon described the case as the most serious drug crime she had encountered in nearly three decades, calling Incognito Market a criminal business that turned Lin into a “drug kingpin.”
According to court documents, the marketplace enabled the sale of over one ton of narcotics, including large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamines, and MDMA. Authorities said some of the drugs sold through the platform were laced with fentanyl, worsening the global opioid crisis.
Incognito Market hosted more than 1,800 vendors, had over 400,000 registered users, and processed more than 640,000 transactions. Customers paid using cryptocurrency through a built-in system known as “Incognito Bank.” The platform generated more than $83 million in revenue, with Lin personally earning over $4.1 million from commission fees.
Law enforcement agencies gained access to servers used by the marketplace between 2022 and 2023, uncovering transaction records, cryptocurrency processing systems, and infrastructure designed to protect the site from cyberattacks. Lin operated the market from late 2020 until March 2024, when he suddenly shut it down and attempted to extort vendors and users by threatening to release transaction data.
US Attorney Jay Clayton said Lin was among the most prolific online drug traffickers ever prosecuted, adding that his actions caused widespread harm and were linked to at least one confirmed death.
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In addition to the 30-year prison sentence, Lin was ordered to serve five years of supervised release and to forfeit $105 million. The case follows a growing crackdown on darknet marketplaces, with several other operators recently pleading guilty to similar large-scale drug trafficking offenses.
