Motherboard: Dark Web Market AlphaBay Staff to Alleged Extortionist: Don't Dox Us, Here's Some Money
Judging by the messages, it appears alphabaysupport may have paid 35 bitcoin (around $45,000) to the extortionist in February. The bitcoin address allegedly used to transfer the funds was sent in a PGP encrypted message, however, so Motherboard cannot independently verify that a payment indeed took place. The extortionist declined to provide the address to Motherboard.
"Done, hope the fee is high enough. Please let us know how you found the information," alphabaysupport writes.
"You've shot yourself in the leg and dug your own hole by paying me," the extortionist replies, before demanding even more money: 147.92 bitcoin (over $190,000) allegedly left in the wallet used to pay them originally.
Vice needs to stop.