The Silk Road was an online black market operating on the dark web, facilitating the buying and selling of illicit goods such as drugs, weapons, and other illegal products, using Bitcoin for transactions. The site was launched in 2011 by Ross Ulbricht, who operated under the pseudonym "Dread Pirate Roberts."

The Silk Road quickly grew in popularity, attracting the attention of law enforcement agencies worldwide. In 2013, the FBI shut down the Silk Road and arrested Ulbricht. He was convicted in 2015 on charges related to operating the site, including conspiracy to commit money laundering, computer hacking, and drug trafficking.