Ross Ulbricht, Silk Road Founder, Released from Prison After Trump Pardon

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous online black market Silk Road, has been released from federal prison following a full pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the defunct online black market Silk Road, has been pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump. The pardon, announced on Tuesday, fulfills a campaign promise made by Trump and brings an end to Ulbricht’s life sentence.

Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 on charges including drug trafficking, computer hacking, and money laundering. The Silk Road, which operated from 2011 to 2013, was an anonymous marketplace on the dark web that facilitated over $200 million in transactions, largely for illicit goods. Users relied on Bitcoin for payments and the Tor network to conceal their identities.

Prosecutors alleged that Ulbricht, who operated under the alias “Dread Pirate Roberts,” oversaw the platform and took extreme measures to maintain its operation, including soliciting murders. However, no evidence of violence was ultimately found.

The pardon was announced by Trump personally, who called Ulbricht’s mother to inform her of the decision and described the pardon as “full and unconditional.” On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump condemned those involved in Ulbricht’s prosecution, accusing them of government overreach.

“Those involved in prosecuting Ross Ulbricht, including the judge, the prosecutor, and the jurors, knew that he was not guilty of the crime they charged him with, and yet they went forward anyway,” Trump wrote. “This is a complete miscarriage of justice and a stain on the legal system of the United States of America.”

Brandon Sample, Ulbricht’s clemency attorney, welcomed the decision, which he said will give Ulbricht “a chance to rebuild his life and contribute positively to society.”

“This pardon is a testament to the power of second chances and the importance of having a legal system that values justice over harsh punishments,” Sample said in a statement.

Ulbricht’s case became a touchstone in the regulation of cryptocurrencies and the fight against dark web crime. The Silk Road highlighted how digital currencies like Bitcoin could be misused to facilitate illegal transactions, prompting early law enforcement efforts to address cryptocurrency-related crimes.

During his trial, Ulbricht admitted to creating the Silk Road but claimed he had handed over control of the platform and was being scapegoated as its figurehead. He later attempted to distance himself from the platform’s illegal activities, saying he had intended it to be a force for good.

Following Trump’s election victory, Ulbricht took to X to celebrate Trump’s victory and remind him of his promise. One week after the election, he wrote on X that he “can finally see the light of freedom at the end of the tunnel.”

Ulbricht’s release has sparked renewed optimism about Trump fulfilling his campaign promises for the crypto community. The Libertarian Party, which has long advocated for Ulbricht’s release, called his case a symbol of government overreach.

“Ross’s case is emblematic of the government’s overreach in the name of the failed War on Drugs,” the Libertarian Party said in a statement. “We applaud President Trump for righting this wrong and granting Ross a pardon.”