Bitcoin 'exit scam': deep-web market operators disappear with $12m

Verto and Kimble, the administrators of Evolution Marketplace, have made off with the cryptocurrency sum as Reddit community cries foul

The administrators of a top deep-web marketplace have disappeared with over $12, worth of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, it emerged last night, in what appears to have been an "exit scam"

On the website Reddit, a user called NSWGreat, who identified him-or herself as a moderator for the site, raised the first red flag in a post to the DarkNetMarkets subreddit marked "EVOLUTION EXIT SCAM"

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I've been suspicious the past few days," the user wrote

"I have admin access to see parts of the back end, the admins are preparing to exit scam with all the funds. Not a single withdrawal has gone through in almost a week"

NSWGreat said that he or she personally had $20,000 in Bitcoin currently in escrow at the site, and had confronted Evolution's administrators - who go by the aliases Verto and Kimble - on Tuesday night. They then confirmed the scam, according to NSWGreat

"I am so sorry, but Verto and Kimble have fucked us all," NSWGreat wrote

Less than an hours later, the site had vanished

In an update, NSWGreat said: "Servers have gone down, including back up server for staff. I'm sorry for everyone's losses, I'm gutted and speechless. I feel so betrayed"

Evolution Marketplace was one of the largest of a number of deep-web sites which grew up after the collapse of the Silk Road, which was shut down after its administrator, Ross Ulbricht - who went by the alias Dread Pirate Roberts - was arrested in 2013

But while Ulbricht's Silk Road, and many of the sites that followed in its footsteps, had a quixotic if libertarian bent, Evolution was always known as more anarchic and less scrupulous

One vender on Evolution, speaking anonymously to the Guardian, said they had been on the site for two years. "Now it's gone; I just lost my career," they said, adding that they had lost around $5,000 in the scam

Another vender, also speaking to the Guardian anonymously, said that they had lost $50,000 worth of Bitcoin and felt "absolutely terrible"

"I have lost everything I had worked for over the past year. That was my retirement fund," the user said

On Tuesday night, hundreds of users took to Reddit to vent their frustrations at the scam, some even talking about hiring hit-men to murder Verto and Kimble. "After you kill them, fuck them. Fuck them in the ear," one user wrote

The scam may well have serious consequences for users. One wrote that he owed money to drug dealers in real life. "I think they will start breaking toes," the user wrote. "I'm shaking"

Others were more philosophical. One user- who told the Guardian that they had lost money thay had in escrow for a deal on a hacked Xfinity cable account and some "liquid shrooms" - said it "sucks for the people that lost thousands"

"Peeps are screwed," the user said, "but all part of the game I guess"

The plot thickened as the evening went on. One user who goes by DeepThroat told Verto and Kimble on Reddit that they had 24 hours until he would start giving their identities to other users so that they could take revenge

DeepThroat posted a screenshot purporting to be from the thieves, offering $5,000 in exchange for silence, which was posted to Reddit with the reply: "Fuck you"

Revealing identities - a process known as "doxxing" - is utterly taboo in deep-web circles. However, DeepThroat implied in posts that the situation called for extreme measures. "Doxxing is forbidden and crossing that line is I don't even know what. But in this case pressure has to be applied for them to realise they can't walk away from this unscathed," DeepThroat wrote

"If the consensus is for me to fuck off let it be, OK then. I'don't think it's fair for people to be robbed like this"

The Guardian has contacted DeepThroat to verify the claims, but has not yet received a response

has not yet received a response

to verify the claims

has contacted DeepThroat to verify the claims

has to be applied for them

can't walk away from this unscathed

in this case pressure has to be applied for them to realise they can't walk away from this unscathed

is forbidden and crossing that line is I don't even know what

called for extreme measures

implied in posts that the situation called for extreme measures

is utterly taboo in deep-web circles

a process known as doxxing

revealing identities

was posted to Reddit with the reply

offering $5,000 in exchange for silence

posted a screenshot purporting to be from the thieves

could take revenge

would start giving their identities to other users so that they could take revenge

the plot thickened as the evening went on

peeps are screwed

sucks for the people that lost thousands

some liquid shrooms

had in escrow for a deal on a hacked Xfinity cable account

others were more philosophical

I'm shaking

will start breaking toes

owed money to drug dealers in real life

the scam may well have serious consequences for users

fuck them in the ear

talking about hiring hit-men to murder

to vent their frusttrations at the scam

hundreds of users took to Reddit to vent their frustrations at the scam

was my retirement fund

had worked for over the past year

had lost $50,000 worth of Bitcoin

adding that they had lost around $5,000 in the scam

speaking anonymously to the Guardian

one vender on Evolution

was always known as more anarchic and less scrupulous

if libertarian bent, Evolution was always known as more anarchic and less scrupulous

had a quixotic

followed in its footsteps

many of the sites that followed in its footsteps

was arrested in 2013

weny by the alias Dread Pirate Roberts

was shut down after its administrator

grew up after the collapse of the Silk Road

was one of the largest of a number of deep-web sites which grew up after the collapse of the Silk Road

feel so betrayed

am sorry for everyone's losses

servers have gone down, including back up server for staff

I am gutted and speechless

had vanished

less than an hous later, the site had vanished

have fucked us all

according to NSWGreat

confirmed the scam

go by the aliases

had confronted evolution's administrators

in escrow at the site

personally had $20,000 in Bitcoin currently

has gone through in almost a week

not a single withdrawal has gone through in almost a week

are preparing to exit scam with all the funds

have admin access to see parts of the back end

have been suspicious past few days

hate to be the bearer of bad news

marked "evolution exit scam"

raised the first red flag in a post to the DarkNetMarkets subreddit

identified him - or herself as a moderator for the site

in what appears to have been an "exit scam"

it emerged last night

worth of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin

have disappeared with over $12

the administrators of a top deep-web marketplace

cry foul

Reddit community cries foul

make off with the cryptocurrency sum

have made off with the cryptocurrency sum

the administrators of Evolution Marketplace

market operators

disappear with $12m