The 21st-Century Black Market: The Cause, Effects, And Lessons Of The Fall Of The Silk Road

Abstract

The Silk Road was an online marketplace through which consumersbought and sold drugs and other contraband. It ran successfully for over two years, generating millions of dollars in revenue for the users and for the administrators. The FBI shut it down in October 2013, resulting in a seizure of $3.6 million of funds in escrow. The shutdown also led to the arrest of Ross Ulbricht, the alleged founder and chief operator of the site, known by users as the Dread Pirate Roberts, or DPR. This research examines the events surrounding the site's closure via content analysis of the three Dark Net market forums. The analysis draws conclusions about the behavior of the Dark Net market user base and the potential of these marketplaces in the future.