tech
German citizen arrested in Colombia for running darknet platform, extradited to the US
A German citizen identified as Patrick S. (37), suspected of operating one of the leading darknet illegal trading platforms, was arrested in Colombia and extradited to the United States, US authorities announced.
TL;DR
- Patrick S., a 37-year-old German citizen, was arrested in Colombia and extradited to the US.
- He is accused of founding and operating the darknet platform "Versus" from 2019 to 2022.
- The platform had over 380,000 registered users and traded illegal drugs, counterfeit documents, malware, and hacking tools.
- Transactions were exclusively conducted using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Monero.
- US authorities, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, collaborated with Colombian police in the investigation.
- Patrick S. was arrested in June 2024 in Taganga and extradited to the US in April 2024.
- He allegedly managed the platform, including customer support and recruitment, and earned commissions.
- He faces multiple charges and significant prison time if convicted, potentially including life imprisonment.