FBI's Operation Greyskull dismantles four dark web child abuse sites, convicts 18th offender

The US Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the takedown of four darknet sites known for the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as well as the conviction of an 18th offender, said to be directly involved in running the odious sites.

“This operation represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

“We’ve not only dismantled dangerous platforms on the dark web, but we’ve also brought key perpetrators to justice and delivered a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children,” Patel said.

To date, Operation Greyskull has led to a total of 18 convictions totaling over 300 years behind bars, including a 52-year-old Minnesota man sentenced on Tuesday to more than 20 years in prison for his role in the websites’ operations.

“These websites were some of the most egregious on the dark web, and they included sections specifically dedicated to infants and toddlers, as well as depictions of violence, sadism, and torture,“ the DOJ stated.

Operation Grayskull represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against child sexual abuse material websites on the dark web. Every arrest in these cases not only delivers justice—it sends a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children.… pic.twitter.com/XKguOtnDqN

undefined FBI (@FBI) July 23, 2025

The FBI said Thomas Peter Katsampes, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and conspiracy to distribute child pornography on February 27th, became a member of one of the CSAM sites in 2022, eventually working his way to a staff position.

The staff position involved moderating the site, enforcing the site’s rules for posting CSAM, and advising the site’s users about how to post CSAM – including how to avoid detection by law enforcement, including the use of sophisticated technologies, according to court documents.

Eight other convictions with sentencing took place in the Southern District of Florida, also connected to running the primary site.

“Katsampes and his co-conspirators ran some of the darkweb’s most heinous networks, enabling horrific crimes against innocent victims, but Operation Grayskull has shut these sites down and delivered justice,” said US Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida.

Over 300 years behind bars

The offenders, most charged with conspiracy to advertise and distribute child pornography, spanned dozens of states, including Alabama, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

Website leaders – responsible for enforcing website rules, holding staff meetings, keeping records of CSAM posts made by individual members, and paying for and maintaining the site's servers – were further charged with engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.

Prison sentences for the convicted offenders ranged from just over 5 years to life in prison, and court-ordered restitutions paid to victims as little as $7,500 to as much as $174,500.

Apparently, two other individuals died before US authorities were able to file charges against them.

Besides the 18 arrests in the US, an undisclosed number of arrests were also made in the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa under Operation Greyskull.

Although the FBI did not say when Operation GreySkull began, the case is considered part of the DoJ’s Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.