Donald Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht

Donald Trump has granted a presidential pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, a notorious darknet platform.

Ross Ulbricht, Founder of Silk Road, Pardoned

President Donald Trump has recently pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the online marketplace Silk Road. Ulbricht had been serving a life sentence after being convicted of money laundering, drug trafficking, and computer hacking, sparking widespread reactions.

An Unexpected Decision?

Trump’s decision came after he reportedly told Ross William Ulbricht’s mother, “In honor of your son and the Libertarian Movement, which has strongly supported me, I am pleased to sign a full and unconditional pardon for Ross,” he announced on Truth Social.

Ulbricht’s Heavy Sentence

Since 2015, Ulbricht had been serving a life sentence. Prosecutors claimed that the dark web marketplace he created was used by thousands of drug dealers and other illegal vendors to distribute hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and other illicit goods and services to over one hundred thousand buyers.

Ulbricht was also accused of attempting to have his perceived enemies killed, although prosecutors stated there was “no evidence that these murders were actually carried out”.

A Promise Kept

The granted clemency comes after Ulbricht unsuccessfully tried to appeal his sentence in 2017. Many cryptocurrency enthusiasts, who were among Trump’s supporters in the 2024 election, have long argued that his sentence was too harsh.

During his campaign, Trump had vowed to commute Ulbricht’s sentence “on day one” if re-elected.