Dream Market Admin Arrested And Identified
Jun 13, 2026
For nearly seven years after Dream Market disappeared from the darknet, one question remained unanswered:
Who was "SpeedStepper"?
Dream Market was one of the longest-running darknet marketplaces in history. Launched in 2013, it survived multiple international law enforcement operations and eventually became the dominant marketplace after the takedowns of AlphaBay and Hansa. At its peak, the platform hosted tens of thousands of listings and facilitated transactions involving drugs, stolen data, counterfeit goods, and other illicit products.
While several moderators, vendors, and administrators connected to the market were identified over the years, the person believed to be the site's top administrator remained unknown.
That changed in May 2026.
According to U.S. prosecutors, German citizen Owe Martin Andresen was arrested in Germany and charged with laundering funds allegedly connected to Dream Market's administrator accounts. Investigators claim Andresen was the individual behind the online alias "SpeedStepper," a name well known to long-time darknet observers.
Court documents describe Dream Market as one of the largest darknet marketplaces ever operated. Authorities allege that between 2013 and 2019 the platform processed enormous volumes of illicit trade and generated substantial cryptocurrency revenue for those running it.
The announcement marks one of the final chapters in a case that has stretched across more than a decade.
Dream Market itself shut down in April 2019 under circumstances that sparked years of speculation. Some users believed administrators were conducting an exit scam. Others suspected law enforcement pressure had become impossible to ignore. The true story remained unclear.
Previous investigations had already led to convictions of several individuals connected to the marketplace. French national Gal Vallerius, known online as "OxyMonster," served as a senior moderator and administrator before being arrested and later sentenced in the United States. However, investigators had never publicly identified the person believed to be running the operation from the top.
Now, prosecutors believe they finally have.
Whether the allegations ultimately hold up in court remains to be seen, but for many longtime darknet observers, the mystery surrounding Dream Market's leadership may finally be nearing its end.
TL;DR
After years of speculation, U.S. prosecutors say they have identified and charged the alleged main administrator of Dream Market. German citizen Owe Martin Andresen, accused of operating under the alias "SpeedStepper," was arrested in Germany in May 2026 and now faces money-laundering charges linked to one of the most famous darknet marketplaces ever created.
Who was "SpeedStepper"?
Dream Market was one of the longest-running darknet marketplaces in history. Launched in 2013, it survived multiple international law enforcement operations and eventually became the dominant marketplace after the takedowns of AlphaBay and Hansa. At its peak, the platform hosted tens of thousands of listings and facilitated transactions involving drugs, stolen data, counterfeit goods, and other illicit products.
While several moderators, vendors, and administrators connected to the market were identified over the years, the person believed to be the site's top administrator remained unknown.
That changed in May 2026.
According to U.S. prosecutors, German citizen Owe Martin Andresen was arrested in Germany and charged with laundering funds allegedly connected to Dream Market's administrator accounts. Investigators claim Andresen was the individual behind the online alias "SpeedStepper," a name well known to long-time darknet observers.
Court documents describe Dream Market as one of the largest darknet marketplaces ever operated. Authorities allege that between 2013 and 2019 the platform processed enormous volumes of illicit trade and generated substantial cryptocurrency revenue for those running it.
The announcement marks one of the final chapters in a case that has stretched across more than a decade.
Dream Market itself shut down in April 2019 under circumstances that sparked years of speculation. Some users believed administrators were conducting an exit scam. Others suspected law enforcement pressure had become impossible to ignore. The true story remained unclear.
Previous investigations had already led to convictions of several individuals connected to the marketplace. French national Gal Vallerius, known online as "OxyMonster," served as a senior moderator and administrator before being arrested and later sentenced in the United States. However, investigators had never publicly identified the person believed to be running the operation from the top.
Now, prosecutors believe they finally have.
Whether the allegations ultimately hold up in court remains to be seen, but for many longtime darknet observers, the mystery surrounding Dream Market's leadership may finally be nearing its end.
TL;DR
After years of speculation, U.S. prosecutors say they have identified and charged the alleged main administrator of Dream Market. German citizen Owe Martin Andresen, accused of operating under the alias "SpeedStepper," was arrested in Germany in May 2026 and now faces money-laundering charges linked to one of the most famous darknet marketplaces ever created.