#Alleged DreamMarket Administrator Arrested

A 49-year-old German citizen, Owe Martin Andresen, has been indicted on charges of laundering funds linked to the prominent darknet marketplace "Dream Market", which was shut down in 2019.

#Charges and Allegations

Owe Martin Andresen, the suspected main administrator of Dream Market, has been indicted for an alleged scheme to launder funds from Dream Market’s administrator accounts. Andresen was arrested last week in Germany on parallel charges brought by the German government.

Key Allegations:

• Andresen allegedly channeled commissions earned from selling illegal drugs, stolen personally identifiable information, counterfeit identification documents, and other items through cryptocurrency wallets.
• He is also accused of converting his ill-gotten gains into gold bars.

#Background on Dream Market

Dream Market was one of the largest illicit darknet marketplaces before its shutdown in 2019, with close to 100,000 listings at a given time. Between 2013 and 2019, the marketplace facilitated the sale of:

• Over 90 kilograms of heroin
• 450 kilograms of cocaine
• 25 kilograms of crack cocaine
• 45 kilograms of methamphetamine
• 13 kilograms of oxycodone
• 36 kilograms of fentanyl

#Investigation and Arrest

Andresen, who used the moniker "Speedstepper", is believed to be the main administrator of Dream Market. In 2022, he allegedly accessed the marketplace's cryptocurrency infrastructure and transferred funds into new wallets. He then used a cryptocurrency service provider based in Atlanta, Georgia to purchase gold bars from international companies using funds from the new wallets.

In total, Andresen is alleged to have laundered over $2 million between August 2023 and April 2025. During a coordinated search by German and US law enforcement, approximately $1.7 million of gold bars and over $23,000 in cash were seized.

#Charges and Sentencing

Andresen faces:

• Six counts of international concealment money laundering
• Six counts of concealment money laundering

Each federal charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Germany also has charged Andresen with several counts of concealment money laundering, with each charge punishable by up to five years in prison.

#Investigation and Prosecution

The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation – Cyber Crimes Unit and DEA Miami Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, with assistance from foreign law enforcement partners.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany L. Rupert is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance during the investigation.

#Related Information

• Dream Market was a darknet marketplace that operated from 2013 to 2019.
• Darknet marketplaces are online platforms that facilitate the sale of illicit goods and services.

#Key Players

• Owe Martin Andresen: The 49-year-old German citizen charged with laundering funds linked to Dream Market.
• Oxymonster: A high-ranking administrator of Dream Market, previously convicted in prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern District of Florida and the U.S. Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
• KITT3N: A high-ranking administrator of Dream Market, previously convicted in prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern District of Florida and the U.S. Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
• GOWRON: A mid-level administrator of Dream Market, responsible for customer service issues, previously convicted in a prosecution by the United Kingdom Crown Prosecution Service.

#Timeline

• 2013: Dream Market launched
• 2019: Dream Market shut down
• 2022: Andresen allegedly accessed Dream Market's cryptocurrency infrastructure
• 2023: Andresen allegedly purchased gold bars using funds from new wallets
• 2026: Andresen arrested and indicted on charges of laundering funds linked to Dream Market