'Welcome to Video' (Part 2): The Fall of a Dark Web Empire

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains content around child sexual abuse material and child exploitation. Listener discretion is advised.

After authorities dismantled Welcome to Video, the largest known child exploitation marketplace on the dark web, the real battle began—tracking down its users. What followed was a sprawling global manhunt as law enforcement agencies across multiple countries worked to identify and arrest the perpetrators hiding behind encrypted screens.

This episode uncovers the shocking scale of the network, the high-profile arrests that followed, and the devastating impact on both victims and investigators. We examine how international cooperation brought key players to justice, the legal and ethical challenges of prosecuting dark web crimes, and the unsettling reality that remnants of these networks continue to resurface.

Join us as we unravel the aftermath of one of the darkest criminal enterprises ever exposed—and the ongoing fight to hold every accomplice accountable.

 

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Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen. Editing/Production for the podcast by Bltzwolff (bltzwolff@gmail.com).

​WILDCIDE Podcast and any content posted is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. 

 

References:

Greenberg, A. (2019, October 16). Inside the Bitcoin bust that took down the web’s biggest child abuse site. WIRED. Retrieved from https://wired.com

Janczewski, C. M., Faruqui, Z. M., Reece, K. A., & W2V Team. (n.d.). Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. Retrieved from https://servicetoamericamedals.org

United States Department of Justice, District of Columbia. (2022, September 7). New York man sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison for sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography. Retrieved from https://justice.gov

United States Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. (2019, October 16). South Korean national and hundreds of others charged worldwide in the takedown of the largest darknet child pornography website, which was funded by Bitcoin. Retrieved from https://justice.gov

Valdosta Today. (n.d.). Three Georgians named among those charged in the takedown of the largest darknet child pornography website. Retrieved from https://valdostatoday.com

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Welcome to Video case. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Video_case