How Dark Web Marketplaces Actually Work: The AlphaBay Investigation

How does someone build a billion-dollar criminal empire from their laptop? Daniel Torres takes you inside the three-year hunt for Alexandre Cazes, the mastermind behind AlphaBay - the dark web's largest drug marketplace that processed over $1 billion in illegal transactions. On Proof Positive, we follow the international investigation that brought down a site with 400,000 users and 40,000 vendors selling everything from fentanyl to stolen data. You'll discover how old-school detective work cracked modern encryption, learn about the critical mistake that exposed Cazes living in his $1.2 million Thai mansion, and see how agencies across four countries coordinated the takedown. This isn't just about technology - it's about human error, greed, and the investigators who refused to give up. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Introduction with Daniel Torres [01:30] AlphaBay's rise to dark web dominance [04:00] Alexandre Cazes and his luxury lifestyle [07:00] The international investigation unfolds [10:00] The critical mistake that changed everything [12:00] Takedown and aftermath 🔍 Topics: dark web marketplaces, AlphaBay investigation, Alexandre Cazes, cybercrime takedown, international law enforcement, digital forensics ⭐ Follow Proof Positive and leave us a 5-star review - it really helps other true crime fans find us! New episodes drop daily, so hit that follow button and we'll see you tomorrow for another deep dive into the cases that changed everything. Get new episodes at Proof Positive ------------- Keywords: alternative history, leaked documents, criminal enterprises, surveillance state Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices