FBI Asset Ran Dark Web Drug Empire as Fentanyl Deaths Mounted

Court filings reveal FBI informant controlled 95% of transactions on $100 million dark web marketplace Incognito while buyers died from overdoses.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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An FBI informant handled 95% of transactions on Incognito Market, one of the dark web's largest drug bazaars, for nearly two years while fentanyl-laced pills killed buyers across America. Court filings revealed the unnamed confidential source essentially co-ran the $100 million operation from 2022 to 2024, approving vendor sales, resolving disputes, and overseeing cryptocurrency transactions—even after users reported near-fatal overdoses from the same suppliers.

Why it matters

This case raises serious questions about the FBI's investigative priorities and informant oversight, as the government's own asset appeared to prioritize maintaining the dark web drug empire over preventing overdose deaths. It also highlights the devastating human toll of the opioid crisis, with one victim's father delivering a gut-wrenching testimony.

The details

Taiwanese national Rui-Siang Lin, operating under the alias 'Pharoah,' built Incognito Market into a digital drug empire spanning October 2020 to March 2024. Nearly 1,800 vendors sold cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and opioids to hundreds of thousands of global buyers through the Tor-encrypted platform. Lin received one of the longest dark web sentences in federal court history, with Judge Colleen McMahon sentencing him to 30 years in prison plus $105 million in forfeiture and calling him a 'drug kingpin.' However, defense attorneys argued the FBI informant operated as Lin's full partner, not subordinate, essentially running 95% of the platform's transactions.

  • Incognito Market operated from October 2020 to March 2024.
  • In September 2022, 22-year-old Reed Churchill died from fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills purchased through Incognito Market.
  • In November 2023, users reported near-fatal overdoses and hospitalizations from a vendor who continued processing over 1,000 orders.
  • Rui-Siang Lin was sentenced in October 2026.

The players

Rui-Siang Lin

A Taiwanese national who operated the dark web drug marketplace Incognito Market under the alias 'Pharoah' from 2020 to 2024.

FBI Informant

An unnamed FBI confidential source who controlled 95% of transactions on the $100 million Incognito Market dark web platform, even as fentanyl overdoses mounted.

Reed Churchill

A 22-year-old who died from fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills purchased through Incognito Market in September 2022.

David Churchill

The father of Reed Churchill, who delivered devastating testimony in court about his son's death.

Judge Colleen McMahon

The federal judge who sentenced Rui-Siang Lin to 30 years in prison, calling him a 'drug kingpin.'

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What’s next

Lin's 30-year sentence stands, but his appeal and lingering questions about informant oversight suggest this dark web horror story isn't finished.

The takeaway

This case highlights the devastating human toll of the opioid crisis, the FBI's questionable investigative priorities, and the need for greater oversight and accountability when it comes to the use of confidential informants in dark web drug cases.