- Ross Ulbricht was the creator of Silk Road, a darknet marketplace that sold illegal products and services
- Ulbricht was arrested in 2013 and convicted in 2015 and sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years without parole
President Donald Trump has signed and given a full pardon to Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht who’s spent the last 12 years in prison.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote:
“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross.”
Trump added that it was “ridiculous” that Ulbricht was given two life sentences plus 40 years.
Upon hearing the news, the crypto community responded positively.
Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky took to X to say: “Ross Ulbricht has been freed by President Trump with a full pardon! Thank you for keeping your word to me and others who have been advocating for Ross’ freedom, Mr. President! #freeRoss”
On the family’s Free Ross campaign account on X, it said:
“Ross was just granted a FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON by @realDonaldTrump. Words cannot express how grateful we are. President Trump is a man of his word and he just saved Ross’s life. ROSS IS A FREE MAN!!!!!”
Ross was just granted a FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON by @realDonaldTrump. Words cannot express how grateful we are.
President Trump is a man of his word and he just saved Ross’s life. ROSS IS A FREE MAN!!!!!
— Free_Ross (@Free_Ross) January 21, 2025
Making promises
During Trump’s election campaign, he promised that he would release Ulbricht on day one if he was re-elected to the White House.
When it didn’t happen on day one, some Bitcoiners expressed their frustration, stating that he wasn’t a “man of his word.” US Senator Rand Paul even wrote Trump a letter urging him to pardon Ulbricht, several hours before the president announced the pardon.
I’m sending @POTUS a letter today asking him to do the right thing and free @RealRossU! pic.twitter.com/yrc3zPx9Nt
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) January 21, 2025
Ulbricht created Silk Road in 2011 and operated the darknet marketplace that aided the sale of illegal services and products using Bitcoin until his arrest in 2013 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ulbricht was found guilty of charges including conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking. He was convicted in 2015 and sentenced to two life terms and a separate 40 years without the possibility of parole.
