The U.S. Department of Justice on June 23 released an indictment in which they are charging Serbian national, Milomir Desnica (33), who allegedly ran the criminal darknet marketplace - Monopoly Market.
Less than two months ago we reported that the LEA confirmed Monopoly Market was indeed seized and as a result of 288 buyers and vendors got arrested.
This time it seems that the operator himself was caught as well. The indictment reads that in November 2022 Desnica was located and arrested in Austria. Law enforcement searched his residence and vehicle, seizing electronics and cash.
In 2021, law enforcement within the United States placed and received numerous orders for narcotics on Monopoly from various vendors. Authorities were able to order more than 100 grams of methamphetamine on Monopoly.
The indictment also reads that in December 2021, in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners in Germany and Finland, the computer server hosting Monopoly was seized, taken offline and the data subsequently analyzed leading to lots of crucial information, including the identity of Desnica.
Through extensive analysis of these records, Desnica was identified as the operator of Monopoly.
It is further alleged that between at least April 2020 and July 2022, Desnica used at least two cryptocurrency exchange services to exchange his illicit cryptocurrency, moving between blockchains used to document all cryptocurrency transactions to โcleanโ his illicit proceeds. Desnica then sold the illicit cryptocurrency to Serbia-based peer-to-peer traders in exchange for fiat currency โ all in an effort to launder the proceeds of the illicit narcotics sales.
Alongside of that, Denisca was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments carries. The first carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison, the other a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties.
Anonymous commenter:
Dude's name is "Desnica"??? Wtf may as well be "DeSnake" huhh???
This image was found on vk.com under the user Milomir Desnica. The locations and ages approximately match. It's not confirmed to be him
https://vk.com/milomir