Trump Frees Silk Road Founder From Life in Federal Prison

President Fulfills Campaign Promise to Pardon 'Dread Pirate Roberts,' Blames DOJ Abuse Prajeet Nair (@prajeetspeaks) • January 22, 2025

On his second day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road, an online marketplace tied to over $200 million in illegal bitcoin transactions. Ulbricht has been serving a life sentence in federal prison since 2015, with no possibility of parole.

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The prosecution of the now 40-year-old Ulbricht became a landmark case in 2013 after federal authorities shuttered the "Silk Road" darknet marketplace site. Ulbricht, a former engineering graduate student described as the mastermind of Silk Road, was convicted after a month-long trial by jury on seven charges including distributing and conspiring to distribute narcotics, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiring ...