[Back to the takedown index](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns)

# DeepDotWeb domain seizure

May 2019, Criminal hosting and proxies
Led by [Federal Bureau of Investigation](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation)

Extended pass entry, last reviewed August 21, 2026

What was taken down?

Clearnet domain seized pursuant to US court order.

[See what happened](#what-happened)

What happened to the people?

Officials reported 2 apprehended.
Group accounted for: Likely complete

[See people and accountability](#people)

Did it stay down?

Not established in the public record. No later activity is recorded against this entry.

[See what happened afterward](#afterward)

## What happened

FBI seized the clearnet domain of DeepDotWeb, a portal that referred users to darknet markets in exchange for kickbacks, and two alleged administrators were arrested abroad (Israel and France).

**Date:** May 2019

**Target:** DeepDotWeb, referral portal

**Activity:** Criminal hosting and proxies

**Operational lead:** FBI

**Partners**

USAO-WDPA, Europol[[1]](#source-1)

- [United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/united-states-attorney-s-office-for-the-western-district-of-pennsylvania), prosecuting
- [European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/european-union-agency-for-law-enforcement-cooperation), supporting

**Jurisdiction:** Not established

**Outcome:** Clearnet domain seized pursuant to US court order.

**Status:** Completed

**Legal mechanism:** US court seizure order; indictment alleging money-laundering conspiracy (W.D. Pa.)

**Group accounted for:** Likely complete

### Infrastructure

1 domain seized.

| Identifier | Recorded as | Status | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| deepdotweb[.]com | 1 domain | Seized, United States | Primary referral-portal domain seized.[[1]](#source-1) |

Domains and onion addresses are shown defanged. Where the record gives a count but no identifier, the count is shown in place of one. This list carries only what appears in the cited sources.

## People and accountability

No individual is named against this entry in the cited record. That is a gap in what has been published rather than a finding that nobody was involved.

Group accounted for: Likely complete

Both alleged administrators were arrested internationally in a coordinated action.

[See the organizations and roles behind this action](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/deepdotweb-domain-seizure/organizations)

## What happened afterward

Not established in the public record. No later activity is recorded against this entry.

## Sources

Numbered markers throughout this entry link to the source that supports the claim beside them.

### Official sources

1.
[DeepDotWeb administrators charged; domain seized](https://takedownindex.org/sources/us-doj-usao-wdpa-deepdotweb-administrators-charged-domain-seized)

US DOJ / USAO WDPA, May 7, 2019, Source grade P1

Establishes the domain seizure and the arrest of two alleged administrators.

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

Coverage note. Added from deep-research aggregation pass. Not independently re-verified source-by-source to the same standard as the original 38-incident core; source\_quality capped at S2/P2 pending a dedicated verification pass.

Research context

## How this entry was checked

This entry came from a broader aggregation pass and has not been independently verified source by source. Its sources are graded no higher than P2 or S2, and most carry no address yet. Treat the figures as a research lead rather than a settled record.

Source review: Extended pass, not yet verified

Sources cited: 1

Research cutoff: August 20, 2026

Last reviewed August 21, 2026

See also

[About the Internet Takedown Index](https://takedownindex.org/about)

Related entries

- [3ve ad-fraud botnet disruption](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/3ve-ad-fraud-botnet-disruption)
- [Operation Trojan Shield](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/operation-trojan-shield)
- [WeLeakInfo seizure](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/weleakinfo-seizure)

Report updates or corrections

Help keep this record accurate.

[Submit feedback](https://takedownindex.org/about#corrections-and-updates)