- Donald Trump pardons Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, after his conviction for drug trafficking and money laundering.
- Ulbricht had been sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for operating the dark web marketplace.
- Trump’s decision follows advocacy from libertarian groups and political allies, citing concerns over government overreach.
US President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, the infamous dark web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold.
Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 on charges of narcotics trafficking and money laundering and sentenced to life in prison. Trump shared the news on Truth Social, revealing that he personally called Ulbricht’s mother to inform her of the pardon.
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Silk Road, which was shut down in 2013 after Ulbricht’s arrest, facilitated the sale of illegal drugs using Bitcoin, along with hacking tools and stolen identities.
Trump criticized the individuals involved in Ulbricht’s conviction, stating in his post, “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern-day weaponization of government against me.” He added, “He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!”
Ulbricht was found guilty of several charges, including conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking. Prosecutors argued that the Silk Road platform sold over $200 million worth of illegal drugs.
Silk Road operated on the dark web, accessible only via Tor, which allowed users to browse anonymously. At the time of its shutdown, the site had almost a million registered users.
At Ulbricht’s sentencing, Judge Katherine Forrest remarked that he was no different from any other drug dealer and described his actions as a “carefully planned life’s work.” The lengthy sentence was intended to serve as a warning to others.
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In his 2015 sentencing, Ulbricht expressed a desire to empower people with privacy and the freedom to make choices. Trump had previously signalled his intention to commute Ulbricht’s sentence during a 2024 speech at the Libertarian National Convention.
The decision has garnered praise from Trump allies, including Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who thanked the president for honouring his commitment to secure Ulbricht’s release.
