Law enforcement release

# Operation Pacifier / Playpen case history

FBI / US DOJ, March 4, 2015. Establishes the Playpen server seizure, the FBI's covert operation of the site under an NIT warrant, and the resulting prosecutions..

**Source type:** Law enforcement release

**Published:** March 4, 2015

**Research grade:** S2

**Used in entries:** 3

## Bibliographic record

**Publisher:** FBI / US DOJ

**Published:** March 4, 2015

**Source type:** Law enforcement release

**Research grade:** Source grade S2

**Language:** English

**Official record:** Official publication

**Address:** No address recorded for this source. Publisher, title, and date are given so it can be retrieved from the publisher.

**What it supports:** Establishes the Playpen server seizure, the FBI's covert operation of the site under an NIT warrant, and the resulting prosecutions.

**Dataset id:** src\_fbi\_playpen\_2015

## Research notes

- Not independently re-verified in this pass.

How this source is used

Cited 3 times across 3 record types.

The role on each citation records what the source was relied on for. A primary source establishes the fact, a supporting source corroborates it, technical evidence describes the infrastructure, and a later outcome records what happened afterwards.

Sources were reviewed to a research cutoff of August 20, 2026. Addresses recorded after that date are not reflected here.

## Cited by

### Organization roles

1 citation

Cited for an organization's recorded role in a takedown.

-
[Federal Bureau of Investigation](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/operation-pacifier-playpen)

Operational lead, Operation Pacifier / Playpen

Primary source

### Legal actions against people

1 citation

Cited for a recorded legal action against a named person.

-
[Steven W. Chase](https://takedownindex.org/people/steven-w-chase)

Convicted, Operation Pacifier / Playpen

Primary source

### Infrastructure

1 citation

Cited for infrastructure recorded as acted on.

-
[1 server](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/operation-pacifier-playpen)

Server taken over, Operation Pacifier / Playpen

Primary source

[All sources](https://takedownindex.org/sources)