Czech darknet founder arrested in 468 BTC bribery probe
A suspect has emerged in the high-profile case involving a 468 BTC (worth $45 million at the time) bribe to former Justice Minister Pavel Blažek.
Czech police have arrested darknet platform founder Tomáš Jiríkowský. Local media reported a dramatic attempt by Jiríkowský to avoid arrest by hiding on the roof of his house — but he was eventually detained.
Jiríkowský, a Czech programmer, is the creator of the illegal darknet marketplace Sheep Marketplace, which was associated with drug trafficking, arms dealing, and counterfeit goods.
Although the platform, launched in 2013, operated for less than a year, Jiríkowský earned 680 BTC from its services and allegedly appropriated an additional 841 BTC from buyers and sellers after the site’s closure — increasing his personal Bitcoin holdings to at least 1,500 BTC.
A $100 million case
In 2017, a court in Brno sentenced the Sheep Marketplace founder to nine years in prison for theft, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of weapons linked to his role as administrator. However, in 2021, he was granted early release for good behavior after serving half his sentence.
Local media link his recent arrest to a 468 BTC bribe given to former Justice Minister Pavel Blažek earlier this year, which led to the minister’s resignation. They note this is considered a separate case.
Contacts between the darknet platform developer and the head of the Justice Ministry may have been related to Jiríkowský’s attempt to reclaim Bitcoin confiscated by police — with some reports suggesting the amount is far greater than 1,500 BTC.
Moreover, local outlets associate the 468 BTC transfer with Nucleus, another darknet marketplace that has been dormant for over nine years. This raises the question of whether Tomáš Jiríkowský also administered Nucleus — a matter still unresolved.
As we wrote, Return to the darknet: Why BTC is replacing privacy coins
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