In this episode, retired agent Keith Mularski reviews the online undercover investigation of the “DarkMarket” forum, which sold stolen identities, credit card data, usernames and passwords, and electronic equipment to carry out financial crimes.
Working with private industry subject matter experts, the case proactively targeted international cybercrime by penetrating English-speaking internet cybercrime forums. Keith and his team’s efforts resulted in the dismantlement of the DarkMarket criminal carding forum. Keith infiltrated the forum using the alias Master Splyntr. The two-year-long undercover cyber operation resulted in over 60 arrests worldwide and the prevention of $70 million in potential losses.
Keith received the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Cyber Investigation.
“Everybody in the cyber world uses an online moniker so that they could stay anonymous. So trying to find out really who they are and getting that proper attribution is a little bit hard, even though that person is out there marketing all of their services. So I was like, ‘We should get an online undercover and go against these guys and get on these sites.'”—Retired Agent Keith Mularski
Special Agent (Retired)
Keith Mularski
07/1998 – 10/2018
Retired agent Keith Mularski served in the FBI for twenty years. He started his career at the Washington Field Office, where he worked National Security matters. During this time, he worked on several high-profile investigations, including the Russian bugging of the U.S. Department of State and the Robert Hanssen espionage investigation. Additionally, he was a first responder at the Pentagon during 9/11.
He later transferred to Pittsburgh, where he was assigned to a new FBI Cyber Division unit operating out of the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA). Keith led a team dedicated to targeting and dismantling the most egregious cybercriminal enterprises.
During this time, he successfully worked with private industry subject matter experts to develop proactive targeting of international cybercrime groups and worked undercover penetrating cyber underground groups, which resulted in the dismantlement of the DarkMarket criminal carding forum.
Keith was next promoted to lead the Pittsburgh Field Office’s Cyber Squad, where he led many significant investigations to include the first indictment of members of the People’s Liberation Army for hacking; the dismantlement of the GameOver Zeus botnet; the takedown of the Darkode forum; and the dismantlement of the Avalanche criminal enterprise. Keith, once again, received the 2014 FBI Director’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Cyber Investigation and the 2015 Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service.
He retired from the FBI as a unit chief to work in private industry. Currently, he is the Chief Global Ambassador for Qintel, a cyber threat intelligence company that helps organizations proactively identify, understand, and disrupt sophisticated cyber threats.
The following are news articles about the online undercover investigation that resulted in the infiltration and dismantling of the “Dark Market” forum:
FBI Website – 10/20/2006: ‘Dark Market’ Takedown Exclusive Cyber Club for Crooks Exposed
WIRED – 10/13/2008: Cybercrime Supersite ‘DarkMarket’ Was FBI Sting, Documents Confirm
The Register – 10/14/2008: DarkMarket carder forum revealed as FBI sting, Cybercrooks bamboozled
WIRED–10/17/2008: 56 Arrested in DarkMarket Sting, Says FBI
WIRED – 10/24/2008: Did Anti-Spam Group Create a Backstory For DarkMarket’s Undercover Fed?
Guardian – 1/14/2010: Welcome to DarkMarket – global one-stop shop for cybercrime and banking fraud
To learn more about how the FBI investigates cybercrime, also listen to these FBI Case File Review episodes.
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