A week ago if you asked just about anyone who the three most trustworthy people in EVE Online were, most would tell you Chribba, Grendall and Darknesss. Darknesss, formally a very trusted third party who secured over 1300 supercapitals and 19 trillion ISK in total, chose to close this third party business and cash out on the most valuable asset in Eve —— trust.
The advent of freeport Keepstars both privately owned and others operated by the New Eden Trading Company, overseen by Chribba, has decreased the need for a trusted broker for supercapital sales. This does come with the risk included in having a central location to travel in and out of- hunters watching the choke points and region for active cynos- causing some super dealers to stick with a tried and true third party.
Darknesss operates his own trade channel where he sets up deals and is able to communicate with his clients called “The Dark Market”. The MOTD had been set for some time to a link to his Eve-Holdem lotteries (shutdown with the EULA changes) but was recently updated to “revenge is mine.”
Darknesss has become considerably harder to reach over the past year or so. He hopped from corp to NPC corp to corp after leaving V0LTA, who he was a member of for four and a half years
At approximately 800 Eve Time on November 28, Darknesss was set to third party a Vanquisher sale. A Vanquisher, the Serpentis titan, is currently the most expensive ship in the game, valued at over 300 billion ISK for the hull.
AlexijII, an LowSechnaya Sholupen member was buying the titan from the character “Super Trader 420” who has since been biomassed. After he transferred his ISK to the third party, Darknesss logged off. This left AlexijII short 320 billion ISK, and presumably Super Trader 420 kept his Vanquisher.
However there may not have ever been a ship to sell in the first place. In a WTS thread on the official eve forums, David Seaman was selling a Vanquisher reported to be in southern lowsec. In an exchange posted by Hoodie Mafia on reddit, the same David Seaman approached Hoodie as a buyer for an Imp blueprint-copy. Seaman reportedly did not try and negotiate the price, arousing suspicion from Hoodie Mafia. Seaman asked for Mafia to trade to a third party, as he claimed to be dyslexic and did not want to use contracts. This would result in Mafia not receiving the ISK immediately, allowing Darknesss to keep both the ISK and the blueprint if he chose. Typically a third party is not needed for special edition ships because they are able to be contracted directly, giving both parties ample opportunity to check that the price and items are as agreed.
[ 2016.11.29 15:20:33 ] David Seaman > hi
[ 2016.11.29 15:20:35 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> This is (Hoodie Mafia Alt)
[ 2016.11.29 15:21:15 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> what exactly was your reason behind not wanting to use a contract?
[ 2016.11.29 15:22:03 ] David Seaman > im dyslexic
[ 2016.11.29 15:22:10 ] David Seaman > i will pay dark fee
[ 2016.11.29 15:22:40 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> I can make an open contract. or contract the Imp for the agreed price to Darkness
[ 2016.11.29 15:22:46 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> Your choice there
[ 2016.11.29 15:24:25 ] David Seaman > ok
[ 2016.11.29 15:24:31 ] David Seaman > you rtade to dark
[ 2016.11.29 15:24:43 ] David Seaman > i will give him the isk
[ 2016.11.29 15:25:42 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> just so we are clear here. I am not trading my assets without insurance to Darkness. I will contract him the Imp for the agreed price
[ 2016.11.29 15:25:57 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> if you and darkness aere fine with that we have a deal
[ 2016.11.29 15:26:56 ] David Seaman > i dont understand
[ 2016.11.29 15:27:05 ] David Seaman > that is not how third party works?
[ 2016.11.29 15:27:53 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> I dont see a reason to use 3rd party when I can just contract it to you
[ 2016.11.29 15:28:18 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> so we can use darkness in between it, but also via contract
[ 2016.11.29 15:28:23 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> im not trading anything
[ 2016.11.29 15:29:56 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> so again, your choice. I can contract to you or to darkness. I dont mind which
[ 2016.11.29 15:32:46 ] David Seaman > hmmm
[ 2016.11.29 15:40:08 ] David Seaman > please let me think on this
[ 2016.11.29 15:40:36 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> I can put the contract up if you like, you can accept it whenever you want
[ 2016.11.29 15:40:54 ] David Seaman > please let me see
[ 2016.11.29 15:44:33 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> Imp Blueprint (Item Exchange)
[ 2016.11.29 15:47:07 ] (Hoodie Mafia Alt)> if you have any questions please mail me on (Hoodie Mafia Alt)
[ 2016.11.29 15:47:19 ] David Seaman > thank you
David Seaman also bumped a WTS Nyx Character thread on the eve forums. That pilot had been a member of Hax at the same time as Darknesss, joining only a day after him. This gives us the possibility that he is either an alt of Darknesss, or a very good friend willing to scam with him. David Seaman has since closed his one man corp.
While the circumstances surrounding this scam gives considerable evidence that this was planned and deliberate, Darknesss’s motive is unknown. He got the revenge he wanted but it is unknown for or against who.
