US police arrested the 38-year old French resident Gal Vallerius on August 31, after he landed at Atlanta international airport and was heading to the World Beard and Moustache Championships.
The owner of the striking red beard was accused of illegal activities on the deep web, including drug sales, the Miami Herald reported.
After his personal belongings and laptop had been searched, the suspect confirmed his identity as "OxyMonster", a nickname he used for his account on the Dream Market, an online darknet market for illegal drugs and stolen data.
The arrest came as result of a long-term investigation launched in February 2016.
The police learned Vallerius's real identity thanks to his bitcoin transactions, some of which involved bitcoin wallets registered for his name.
Investigators also analyzed his Instagram and Twitter accounts and found out that his writing style reveals "many similarities" with that of OxyMonster.
In the course of the inquiry, US law-enforcement authorities came to the conclusion that the man not only illegally sold narcotic substances, but also fulfilled the functions of "a senior moderator and administrator."
Vallerious' trip to the beard competition was also his first time traveling to the United States.
