> Another possible moral is don't be a freelance security researcher as a hobby. You should at least get paid for it and get some organisational cover - not only are you potentially at risk of crossing organised crime, but you can very easily be framed and end up raided by the police.

Alternate reading -- the best way to extricate yourself from a dark web scam is to pose as a freelance security researcher as a hobby and turn on your co-conspirators. Explains why you have admin access to the the site and all its email correspondence when the police come looking for you.