Selling Drugs To Get Bitcoin On The Dark Web, This Father And Son Are Thrown Behind Bars

Authorities are dismantling drug dealers and money laundering perpetrators through bitcoin in the darkweb. (Photo; Doc. 3dmgame)

JAKARTA Joseph Farace, 72, and his son Ryan Farace (38) from Maryland, USA, were forced to sit in prison after both were found to have committed illegal acts such as selling drugs and laundering money through Bitcoin in the darkweb.

The court sentenced his father Joseph Farace to 19 months in prison. Meanwhile, his son, Ryan Farace, has already languished in prison on charges of 54 months in federal prison with two years in condition. This sanction was delivered by Judge Griggsby on January 5, 2023 at the Maryland District Court, USA.

According to a CryptoPotato report, the charges were dropped after the two were caught committing illegal acts for the manufacture and distribution of aplrazolam pills known as Xanax. Both sell the pills on the dark web by accepting payments in Bitcoin.

Investigations carried out by various law enforcement agencies, including the Narcotics Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, uncovered their illegal activities.

Ryan Farace, who was convicted earlier, was sentenced to federal prison for 54 months and two years of parole. He is known by the pseudonym "XANAXMAN" in the darknet market, where he raised more than 9,138 Bitcoins. During his detention, Ryan collaborated with his father to launder funds through complex financial transactions.

In August 2020, Ryan ordered Joseph to transfer more than 2,874 Bitcoins for international banking purposes, which were later confiscated by federal agents in February 2021 with a market value of between US$65 million and US$150 million (around Rp1.01 trillion to Rp2.33 trillion). In May 2021, an additional 58.7 Bitcoins were confiscated as part of their sentences.