Sam Bent played a key role in creating and managing the Dred forum, which became a major Dark Web community after Reddit banned illegal activity-related communities.
Sam utilized various methods, such as thermal label printing and visual barriers for packaging, to maintain anonymity and security while operating as a Darknet market vendor.
Sam prioritized the safety and well-being of his customers by refusing to sell drugs like heroin, meth, or fentanyl, and took precautions to avoid innocent people being targeted in his operations.
Deep dives
Creating a Fallback Forum on the Dark Web
Sam, an active member of Darknet markets, assisted in creating the Dred forum, a dedicated Reddit-like community on the Dark Web. When Reddit banned communities involved in illegal activities, Dred took off, becoming one of the biggest forums on the Dark Web. Sam served as one of the admins and used his PR skills to manage the community and enhance its reputation.
Operating as a Darknet Market Vendor
Sam became a Darknet market vendor, primarily selling moonshine and cannabis that he grew. He focused on maximizing profits by being both the manufacturer and retailer. Sam took extensive precautions to remain anonymous, utilizing techniques like thermal label printing and visual barriers for packaging. He also established a network of buyers who resold his products, allowing him to convert cryptocurrency into cash. Sam's operational security and knowledge of the Darknet market culture made him valuable, even attracting the attention of law enforcement.
Raided and Arrested by Homeland Security
Despite his efforts to maintain secrecy, Sam's Darknet activities eventually caught the attention of Homeland Security. During his arraignment, Sam admitted his involvement as a Darknet vendor, taking sole responsibility for the operation. Law enforcement planned to recruit him as an informant, but Sam refused, valuing the safety and well-being of his family above personal gain. After the raid, he lost contact with a close friend, but eventually reconnected, sharing the reality of his situation.
Sam's Precautions and Moral Code
Sam took various precautions to maintain secrecy while operating on the darknet market. He ensured that his packages were sealed in multiple layers to prevent detection by drug-sniffing dogs. He also used different return addresses to avoid suspicion and used registered level three sex offenders' addresses to minimize the risk of innocent people being targeted. Sam also had a moral code, choosing not to sell drugs like heroin, meth, or fentanyl that he believed took people's souls. He aimed to sell what he considered to be party drugs, prioritizing the safety and well-being of his customers.
Cashing Out and the Downfall
To cash out his earnings, Sam found a vendor on the darknet who would exchange Bitcoin for cash. However, this vendor was arrested and cooperated with the authorities, leading to Operation Dark Gold. The feds questioned Sam's cash-out method, interpreting it as evidence of criminal intent. Meanwhile, Sam's cousin became complacent with her shipping practices, causing multiple packages with the same return address to be sent, arousing suspicion. The United States Postal Inspector cut open one of these suspicious packages without a warrant, leading to the discovery of cocaine. Eventually, Sam's cousin's proffer agreement and the evidence obtained resulted in Sam taking a plea deal and being sentenced to five years in prison, although he was ultimately released after 18 months.
Sam Bent, a.k.a. DoingFedTime, brings us a story of what it was like being a darknet market vendor.
Learn more about Sam at https://www.doingfedtime.com/.
Sponsors
Support for this show comes from Akamai Connected Cloud (formerly Linode). Akamai Connected Cloud supplies you with virtual servers. Visit linode.com/darknet and get a special offer.
Support for this show comes from Thinkst Canary. Their canaries attract malicious actors in your network and then send you an alert if someone tries to access them. Great early warning system for knowing when someone is snooping around where they shouldn’t be. Check them out at https://canary.tools.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
