39-year-old Sky Justin Gornik has been sentenced for conspiring drug sales over the dark web through cryptocurrency. The California resident pleaded guilty before a San Diego judge to operating under different pseudonyms to carry out illicit drug trades. Justin attested to have been using the following market places to conduct the illegitimate trade; Alpha Bay, Outlaw market, Evolution, Abraxas, Trade Route and Dream Market. Moreover, the dark web trader was dealing in the following drugs; fentanyl, ketamine, oxycodone, amphetamine, carfentanil and a couple of other drugs.
<h2>Drugs in Question</h2>
Law enforcement agents seized up to 1.7 grams of; sheets of fentanyl, carfentanil and gelatin tablets during a June 7, 2017 raid at Gornik’s home. The amount of carfentanil totals to approximately 86,000 fatal dosages. Carfentanil is a super potent synthetic opioid. During his plea, Gornik agreed to a forfeit fortune worth millions of dollars in cryptocurrency holdings including; Bitcoin, Ethereum, stratis and Monero. All of which were part of accruing figures from the drug trade sales.

Gornik’s crypto holdings are  in various accounts at Poloniex and Bittrex exchanges. Both exchanges are based in the United States.

‘The <a href="https://www.cryptoknowmics.com/crypto/carbon-black-discovers-new-components-for-metadata-seizure-by-mining-hackers/">illicit trader</a> was found to have been buying 600 – 1,200 fentanyl gel tablets each week for a period running over two years’ A source claims.  Investigators attached to the case believe Gornik was acquiring the tablets from another dark web drug dealer; who sources identified as Steven Wallace George, an Oklahoma resident. Federal authorities in Oklahoma have prosecuted George for manufacturing fentanyl tablets from natural fentanyl that he obtains from China.

According to a statement by Southern District of California Attorney’s Office,

‘Gornik admitted that these digital /crypto currencies were a representation of drug trafficking proceeds of the offence; in the activities of money laundering over the Dark Web.’
<h2>Closing Remarks</h2>
Investigation into Gornik’s criminal dealings was led by collaboration between, special agents at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S Postal Inspectors in San Diego. Gornik will serve a 70 months sentence for <a href="//www.coindesk.com/the-hidden-effects-of-crypto-money-laundering-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">laundering</a> drug proceeds through digital currency, as well as drug charges.

Black Hat Drug Lord to Forfeit Millions of Dollars in Illegal Crypto Earnings

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Black Hat Drug Lord to Forfeit Millions of Dollars in Illegal Crypto Earnings

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