Florida Man Sentenced for Counterfeit Credit Card Sales
Michael Prime, 40, of Tampa Florida, according to an announcement by the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, sold firearms on an undisclosed darkweb marketplace and sold counterfeit credit cards on Dream Market, Alphabay, and Wallstreet Market. Prime pleaded guilty to access device fraud, identity theft, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon earlier this year.

Prime in his most recent mugshot
During a search of Prime’s residence in Tampa, Florida, law enforcement officers discovered stacks of credit cards, a credit card press, and equipment used to place chips in credit cards. Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office had discovered the cards after responding to a domestic violence call from Prime’s wife. Prime identified himself to the authorities using a stolen identity. After arresting Prime for domestic battery by strangulation, law enforcement learned Prime’s real identity. The fingerprints identified Prime since he had a previous felony conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Special Agent Bryan Halliwell with the United States Secret Service, in a criminal complaint (pdf, html), wrote that a search of Prime’s house resulted in the discovery of the evidence listed below.
During an interview with law enforcement, Prime said he had worked for the Republic of Lampeduza, a site that “facilitated the commission of credit card fraud by hosting, receiving, and selling stolen credit/debit card account information resulting from online breaches.”
Prime stated he was paid approximately $1,000 per month in Bitcoin as compensation for working for the Republic of Lampeduza.
Prime volunteered information about counterfeit credit card sales on darkweb marketplaces as well.
Prime also admitted to selling counterfeit credit cards and counterfeit ids on dark web sites such as Dream Market, Wall Street Market, and Alpha Bay. Prime stated he was paid in Bitcoin for these sales. 16. Prime stated he sold virtual weapons on the virtual reality website Second Life, from which Prime claimed he made approximately $300,000.
He told investigators that he had 3,500 Bitcoin ($24 million at the time) in his possession.
Prime, according to the information contained in his plea agreement, manufactured and advertised firearms on the darkweb. It appears as if he purchased “80%” frames (which are pieces of polymer or aluminum), milled the rails and barrel block, and then added his own slide and LPK. Law enforcement has evidence Prime advertised the constructed “frankenglocks.” Although the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms announcement claimed “Prime sold [untraceable firearms] that he manufactured and advertised for $1,500 on the darkweb,” court documents included no evidence that Prime completed any transactions.
One statement Prime had posted on an undisclosed onion service advertised “unregistered and untraceable guns.” “They are not even ballistically registered,” he wrote, likely referring to the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.
According to a report on RipOffReport, Prime did sell stun guns online in 2014 (which are legal in most parts of the United States). That same report and many others from a similar time frame accuse Prime of committing various forms of fraud on the internet.
He posts himself as a web developer, 3d print operator, consultant of web security, and other miscellaneous services he conjures up to get your attention. He steals software, credit card numbers, and even physical property. He’s an ex-felon. Will forge signatures to obtain money. He created counterfeit money orders. He was investigated by the FBI, CIA, and the US POSTAL SERVICE for his fraudulent activities. Sells cheap stun guns online via PayPal and will sell off your personal information.
On December 12, 2019, Prime pleaded guilty to access device fraud, identity theft, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. On June 26, 2020, Judge Moody sentenced Prime to five years and 10 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine.
Comments (19)
anonymous2020-07-0481c274d0
he had 24 million usd in bitcoin? wtf was he doing selling guns on the darknet? he should have been sitting on a beach in the bahamas
KuntNThe2020-07-04d08bae50
Michael Prime, Amazon's shadier uncle. +5 positive NDD no extra cost, -5 negative postie lobbed it over mah fukkin hedge the kunt
crazy2020-07-053eac8090
device fraud, identity theft, possession of a firearm, selling untraceable firearms, counterfeit credit cards and I'm sure money laundering too. And he is sentenced to five years and 10 months. How this is possible ? Give his lawyer contact. And he got only a $2,000 fine. What about 3,500 Bitcoin ? Are them confiscated ?
anon2020-07-050f78d830
Prime was sentenced in 2003, to approximately 85 months for wire fraud and counterfeit. And now 5 years
mtk2020-07-062e55d950
He cooperated... Did you guys not read the article? If you did not know when you cooperate with the government you get less time. Im surprised he even got that much time... Now he will go to a medium in the Feds and will have to sit with the rats and the child molesters... Not Fun... In 2003 he did 8 years for wire fraud thats a lot of time for wire fraud... but then he got out and stacked up 3500 BitCoin... He was balling! and his stupid broad is the one who got him pinched.. JLT... Just like that...
MoFo2020-07-07d76fb3c0
What a snitching cunt... His wife/GF is also retarded ! WHY stay in the US when you have $25 million ??? I would always split my bitcoins with a tumbler, so if i'd get jailed at some point I'd at least have a shitload of money when i leave. Maybe his GF/Wife will accidentially overwrite or delete a thumbdrive with btc on it^^ If you ask me, he/she earned it.
crazy2020-07-072c1ace40
MoFo Where you should stay ? He was making money in US and US can extradite you from mostly every country. His wife called police few times because of domestic violence
GG2020-07-11238890b0
The US actually CANNOT extradite you from every country. They just failed to extradite a child molester from South Korea
Tayk-472020-07-11e036a280
Never shit where you live. Dumb criminal always have illegal items at there own home which is not that wise, you can't put all the illegal shit at your home lol. In other words, let ur illegal shit be diverse to different locations. Ain't no dumb druglord will put 100kg of cocaine in his own home
Adrian2020-07-135ecb7990
I am looking for a card and transfer supplier via paypal. any indication? I have been robbed by the imperial market 2 times.
Jacob2020-07-1694418790
Piece of shit! I hate people who commit fraud and try to steal people's hard earn money. I wish he got a longer sentence than 60 months. Fuck him!
the fucking cia2020-07-23a5b9fd50
He was investigated by the fucking CIA? haha wtf. You don't see that everyday. Dude was smart. But I guess not that smart.
totally witchman2020-07-2725051dc0
The face of this guy is totally how I imagined witchman05 glad the CIA finally caught him, we will have much less spam on dread, they can add spamming in the indictment as well
ladyofthenight2020-08-29d8687f20
This guy was my vendor. I need a new one, Where can I buy a physical cf prepaid debit cards with pin.
Sourceforgery2020-07-04d532a820
Link to the criminal complaint PDF is broken/not loading.