- The U.S. government has seized 145 domains and crypto funds tied to the illicit BidenCash marketplace.
- The operation aligns with the global enforcement momentum seen in Operation RapTor.
In a major blow to crypto industry-facilitated cybercrime, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has shut down 145 sites associated with the BidenCash marketplace.
Source: X
The marketplace had been up and running since March 2022, providing users with a platform to sell and purchase compromised financial data with crypto.
Despite the name, BidenCash has no political ties to the former president—it was a marketplace for crime, not commentary.
BidenCash busted
In a coordinated international operation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken down BidenCash, a dark web carding marketplace that trafficked in stolen financial data.
On the 4th of June, officials announced through a press release that,
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today the seizure of approximately 145 dark net and traditional internet domains, and cryptocurrency funds associated with the BidenCash marketplace.”
BidenCash, which launched in March 2022, allowed users to purchase stolen credit card data, login credentials, and personally identifiable information (PII) using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin [BTC] and Tether [USDT].
The DOJ confirmed:
“The operators of the BidenCash marketplace use the platform to simplify the process of buying and selling stolen credit cards and associated personal information.”
Seizures span dark web and clear net
Dark websites were not alone that were targeted by the authorities, also clear-net domains were targeted. All of these URLs seized automatically lead to a banner proclaiming the seizure of the site by U.S. authorities.
The message also included logos of several global partners, showing the global nature of collaboration.
The operation included collaboration from the US Secret Service, FBI, Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit and cyber threat intelligence firms like Searchlight Cyber and the Shadow Server Foundation.
Crypto’s criminal corners under fire
Although the real amount of crypto seized has not been disclosed, the DOJ confirmed that digital currencies linked to BidenCash’s transactions were confiscated under court-approved forfeiture.
During the same press release, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia remarked that,
“Cyber criminals should know that even on the dark web, they are not anonymous,”
This follows the latest Operation RapTor, which saw 270 arrests and $200 million in worldwide seizures—a clear sign that law enforcers are upping the ante to fight illegal use of crypto.
A warning to the underground
The BidenCash shutdown shows an increasingly robust ability on the part of governments to break into anonymity software used in crypto crime.
Another cyber crime hub has gone to ground for the time being. But the message is clear: crypto anonymity offers no protection when law enforcement moves in.
