Slovakian Admin of Dark Web Kingdom Market Jailed for 16 Years in US

A Slovakian man accused of helping operate the dark web marketplace Kingdom Market has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison after US prosecutors linked him to the sale of illegal drugs, stolen financial data, counterfeit documents, and malware distributed through the platform.

Alan Bill, 33, of Bratislava, received a 200-month prison sentence from US District Judge Cristian M. Stevens in St. Louis on Thursday. Bill previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for his role in maintaining and supporting the dark web market between March 2021 and December 2023.

Court filings describe Kingdom Market as a major underground marketplace where vendors sold heroin, methamphetamine, counterfeit prescription pills, stolen personal information, fake identification documents, malware, and counterfeit currency to buyers around the world. Transactions were conducted using cryptocurrency accounts designed to hide user identities.

While Bill attempted to reduce his level of involvement during sentencing ...