A Quebecer found dead in a Thailand jail is being described as the criminal mastermind behind the world's largest online black market.
Alexandre Cazes of Trois-Rivieres is believed by U.S. authorities to have been behind the dark net website Alphabay, a market for illegal narcotics which went offline July 5th.
Court documents from California released Thursday show the 25-year-old raked in $23 million US from his alleged illegal activities, including a small fortune in digital currency.
Cazes owned vacation homes in Antigua, Cyprus and Phuket, and liked to drive around in luxury; he owned a Lamborghini Aventador, which carries a $425,000 Cdn starting price-tag, and a Porsche Panamera, which has a starting price just over $125,000 Cdn.
Cazes died in police custody just over a week ago after a raid at his home in Thailand at the request of American authorities.
Local police say Cazes hanged himself in jail just prior to a scheduled court hearing. His Thai wife was expecting their first child.
His family in Quebec maintain he is innocent.