Tomáš Jiřikovský is facing up to 29 years in prison and a trial after investigators dismantled claims that he could not be prosecuted again for past darknet activities, according to court documents reviewed by Seznam Zprávy. The case also involves his attorney Kárim Titz and has led to charges that additionally implicate former Justice Minister Pavel Blažek and his deputy Radomír Daňhel, who face proposed sentences of 6.5 years.
According to the indictment, investigators tied Jiřikovský to Nucleus Market, a major darknet marketplace used extensively for illegal drug trafficking. Police secured roughly two dozen case files from international partners in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United States, and Belgium. Evidence cited in the documents shows that a Czech vendor operating under the alias Carlos Lopez sold marijuana worth millions of crowns on the platform. Prosecutors state that transaction data ultimately led to a digital wallet controlled by Jiřikovský, who used the darknet moniker Black John, thereby establishing the source crime required for money laundering charges.
Jiřikovský’s mother had previously asserted in intercepted phone calls that her son could not be tried again because he was already punished for past offenses. However, court records show his previous conviction occurred in 2019, when the Brno Regional Court sentenced him to nine years in prison for operating a different darknet site called Sheep Marketplace. While Jiřikovský publicly maintained that he mined his bitcoins in his grandfather’s office—a claim prosecutors reject by calculating it would have required 50 computers running continuously for at least a year—wiretaps from the current investigation capture him acknowledging the embezzlement of Sheep Marketplace funds.
Nucleus Market Scale and Seized Cash
Data from blockchain analysis cited in the indictment detail the immense scale of Nucleus Market. A Japanese expert study referenced by investigators estimated total transactions on the platform at approximately 88.3 million US dollars. Furthermore, the indictment notes that in March 2025, Jiřikovský restored part of a marketplace operational wallet containing 1,561.56020558 bitcoinu, while Chainalysis data indicates other related addresses hold roughly 4,695.03809086 bitcoinu, compared to 3,866.49862288 bitcoinu listed in an evaluation by the netsearch office.
Investigators also uncovered substantial physical assets linked to the operation. During a search of Jiřikovský’s parents’ home, police discovered bankrolls weighing a combined 22.7 kilograms, consisting of 4,601,000 korun and 1,162,475 eur. Wiretaps reveal Jiřikovský discussing storage locations for the cash with his father, noting deliveries of 50-euro and 20-euro banknotes. Jiřikovský’s defense attorney, Martin Kotrbáček, told Seznam Zprávy that they would not comment on whose money was found at the parents’ residence.
Did You Know? Investigators discovered 22.7 kilograms of bankrolls containing crowns and euros hidden at the home of Tomáš Jiřikovský’s parents, alongside separate Austrian and Slovak bank accounts receiving payments from the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange.
Additional funds flowed through accounts in Austria and Slovakia held directly by Tomáš Jiřikovský between 2015 and 2017, receiving more than 284 tisíc eur from the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange. Prosecutors state he used these funds to purchase vehicles including a Ford Mustang, a Land Rover, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a BMW sports limousine, and a 57 tisíc eur excavator for his father’s gravel pit. Investigators noted that Jiřikovský systematically utilized family members to make purchases so his own name would not appear on titles or financing agreements.
Police scrutiny also extended to Jiřikovský’s brother Lukáš, who has not been officially employed or registered as a self-employed worker since 2007. Despite this, financial records show his accounts received millions of crowns from dozens of construction, industrial, and trading companies, alongside cash withdrawals totaling at least 35 534 100 korun. Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor in Olomouc Radek Bartoš confirmed that the number of accused individuals in the main case is final, though prosecutors noted that a portion of the investigative file was separated into an independent criminal proceeding.
Legal Strategy and Proposed Sentences
Wiretaps captured in the case dossier illustrate the family’s shifting reliance on attorney Kárim Titz. In late May 2025, recordings show Tomáš Jiřikovský telling his father that Titz predicted the situation would be resolved within weeks. By two months later, however, Jiřikovský informed relatives that Titz warned them both to prepare for the defendant’s bench.
During a recent court appearance, attorney Kotrbáček stated that his client has decided to disclose circumstances surrounding Nucleus Market while denying that any donations constituted money laundering, viewing the cooperation as drawing a definitive line under actions from over a decade ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tomáš Jiřikovský accused of in the new indictment?
According to court documents, he is accused of operating the Nucleus Market darknet platform and laundering criminal proceeds through extensive cryptocurrency transactions and physical asset acquisitions.
How much money and cryptocurrency were tied to the case?
Investigators documented tens of millions of dollars in marketplace volume, recovered bitcoins in a restored wallet alongside unspent balances in other addresses, and seized 22.7 kilograms of physical cash in crowns and euros from his parents’ home.
What sentences are prosecutors proposing for the defendants?
The state prosecutor is proposing 20 years in prison and property forfeiture for Tomáš Jiřikovský regarding the darknet marketplace, plus an additional nine years for money laundering. Proposed sentences for other defendants include eight years for attorney Kárim Titz, and 6.5 years each for former Minister Pavel Blažek and Radomír Daňhel.
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