Dutch National Charged in Takedown of Obscene Website Selling Over 2,000 "Real Rape" and Child Pornography Videos, Funded by Cryptocurrency'
Administrator Made Almost Two Million Dollars from the Criminal Enterprise
WASHINGTON –Dutch National Michael R. M. a/k/a Mr. Dark, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia for his operation of Dark Scandals, a site on both the Darknet and Clearnet that featured violent rape videos and depictions of child pornography. The nine-count indictment was unsealed today along with a parallel civil forfeiture action. The defendant was charged with various counts of Distribution of Child Pornography, Production and Transportation of Obscene Matters for Sale or Distribution, Engaging in the Business of Selling or Transferring Obscene Matter, and Laundering of Monetary Instruments.
“Darknet sites that profit from rape and the sexual exploitation of children are among the most vile and reprehensible forms of criminal behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea. “This Office will not allow predators to use lawless online spaces as a shield. We are firmly committed to working closely with our partners in the Netherlands and around the world to bring to justice the perpetrators of these abhorrent crimes.”
“The types of crimes described in this indictment are the most disgusting I’ve encountered in 30 years of law enforcement. It is a special kind of evil to prey on and profit from the pain of others,” said Don Fort, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Criminals should know if you leave a digital footprint, we will find you. If you exploit our children, we will put you behind bars. If you thought you were anonymous, think again. The dark web is not quite as dark today due to the hard work of IRS-CI and our partner agencies.”
“The obscene material distributed by the defendant victimizes innocent and vulnerable people in our communities,” said Alysa Erichs, acting executive associate director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these crimes, using all available resources to ensure that additional vulnerable victims aren’t exploited.”
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https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/dutch-national-charged-takedown-obscene-website-selling-over-2000-real-rape-and-child