Ronald Craig Ilg — 56, of Spokane, Washington — has been sentenced to 96 months in federal jail for paying over $60,000 Bitcoin (BTC) to darkish internet hitmen.
Ilg paid the hitmen who tried to kidnap and assault a number of victims — together with his ex-wife — by means of a web based scheme by which he solicited the help of identified hitmen.
Neonatologist turned felony
Starting in early 2021, courtroom data discovered that Ilg — who had been working as a neonatologist — transmitted dozens of messages underneath the alias “Scar215” and despatched greater than $60,000 BTC to advance his nefarious plot.
Throughout this time, Ilg directed the purported hitmen to assault one other Spokane-area physician — specifying that the sufferer:
“Ought to be given a major beating that’s apparent. It ought to injure each arms considerably or break the arms.”
This preliminary plan led to Ilg paying greater than $2,000 in BTC, after which he offered the hitmen with a hyperlink to the sufferer’s image, their tackle and different private particulars that might help within the crime, courtroom data present.
In a sequence of follow-up messages, Ilg added, “I want to see proof that it occurred. If this goes nicely, I’ve one other, extra difficult job” for a “totally different goal with solely totally different goals.”
U.S. Lawyer for the Japanese District of Washington, Vanessa R. Waldref mentioned:
“This case demonstrates how violent offenders exploit our on-line world and cryptocurrency to additional their felony agendas.”
Bitcoin and the darkish internet
It’s definitely not the primary time BTC has been utilized in an try and fund unlawful actions. Late final yr, the DOJ issued one other press assertion saying that they had seized a historic $3.36 billion value of cryptocurrency regarding the Silk Highway darkish internet portal — belonging to James Zhong.
Moreover, Silk Highway’s founder — 38-year-old Ross William Ulbricht — is at the moment serving a life sentence with out the opportunity of parole for his position in working the hidden service on the Tor community. This included facilitating the sale of narcotics and different unlawful services and products —together with an alleged plot to rent hitmen utilizing cryptocurrency underneath the alias ‘Dread Pirate Roberts.’
