ALEXANDRIA, VA – Albie Pagan, 65, of Utica, New York, has pleaded guilty to peddling death and fakes on the dark web. The feds say Pagan, operating under the online alias “H00k3d,” flooded illicit marketplaces with over $1.2 million worth of opioid pills and counterfeit U.S. currency. For years, he played puppetmaster, shipping the poison and bogus bills across the country, believing the digital shadows would shield him.
Court documents reveal Pagan’s operation spanned from roughly October 2016 to February 2021, hopping between notorious dark web platforms like AlphaBay, Apollon, Avaris, Cryptonia, Dark Market, Darkode, Dream, Nightmare, and Wall Street. “H00k3d” wasn’t selling catnip. His inventory included highly addictive prescription opioids – oxycodone, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and Adderall – alongside convincing counterfeit $10 and $20 bills. He thought he was untouchable.
“The defendant illegally distributed over $1.2 million of highly addictive opioids and counterfeit currency while attempting to operate anonymously on dark web marketplaces,” stated Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those who seek to profit by using the dark web to fuel a devastating opioid crisis that has ravaged our communities will be found and brought to justice.” Empty words, maybe, but in this case, they ring true. The investigation, a joint effort by multiple federal agencies, finally cracked the case.
The scale of Pagan’s operation is staggering. On Wall Street alone, he moved over $325,000 in fake cash. His total gross proceeds – narcotics *and* counterfeit currency – exceeded $1,011,079. A deep dive into his AlphaBay sales revealed at least $90,399 in opioid profits. On Dark Market, a review of 475 customer-rated orders showed he pushed out 3,293 hydrocodone pills, 2,250 oxycodone, and 382 hydromorphone pills. This wasn’t a hobby; it was a full-blown criminal enterprise.
Pagan pleaded guilty to both distribution of controlled substances and selling counterfeit currency. He’s due to be sentenced on August 24th and faces a maximum of 20 years behind bars. While federal sentencing guidelines often result in lighter terms, the sheer volume of drugs and fake money involved suggests a significant stretch in the cage. The investigation was spearheaded by the FBI’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, with support from the FDA, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and local police.
This case highlights the ongoing battle against dark web crime and the relentless efforts of law enforcement to dismantle these illicit networks. The agencies involved – led by Acting U.S. Attorney Parekh, FBI Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson, Postal Inspector Peter R. Rendina, and Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matthew S. Miller – are sending a clear message: the dark web isn’t a safe haven for criminals. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bibeane Metsch is prosecuting the case. Court documents can be found at the Eastern District of Virginia’s U.S. Attorney’s Office website or through PACER (Case No. 1:21-cr-95).
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- Tanisha Bynoe, Counterfeit Cash Scheme, Pennsylvania 2023 · West Virginia
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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