A Gwinnett County doctor who solicited contract killers on the dark web in an attempt to have his girlfriend killed was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison Thursday.
James Wan, 54, of Duluth, pleaded guilty in October to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce in the commission of a murder-for-hire, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan Buchanan said. Wan spent more than $25,000 in multiple attempts to place a contract on his girlfriend’s life. The money, in the form of cryptocurrency, disappeared when Wan canceled his orders after being questioned by the FBI.
“By using the dark web to conceal his search for someone to kill his girlfriend, Wan expected to evade detection, even going as far as using cryptocurrency to pay for the crime,” Buchanan said in a statement Thursday. “While criminals regularly search for new ways to harm their victims, our law enforcement partners constantly adapt their methods to identify them and bring them to justice.”
Wan’s attempts to hire someone to kill his girlfriend began April 18, 2022, when he used his cellphone to access a dark web marketplace, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He shared his girlfriend’s name, address, Facebook account and a description of her car, including the tag number. He asked the potential killer to make the woman’s death look like a carjacking gone wrong and said it was OK to take the car after the killing.
The FBI discovered Wan’s plan and placed his girlfriend in protection before any attempts on her life could be made.
When the FBI detained Wan for questioning, he confessed to his plan, Buchanan said. He admitted to visiting the marketplace daily to see if his contract had been fulfilled.
Wan’s full sentence includes seven years and three months in federal prison, followed by two years on probation, Buchanan said. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
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