President Donald Trump granted an unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road website, which facilitated the online sale of illegal drugs using cryptocurrencies. Arrested in 2013, Ulbricht was sentenced in 2015 to two life terms plus 40 years for drug trafficking and other crimes. Trump’s announcement followed his earlier pledge to commute Ulbricht’s sentence if re-elected, amidst support from libertarian advocates. Ulbricht partially developed the Silk Road while living in Sydney, Australia. He has claimed that he did not intend for his site to contribute to drug trafficking, emphasizing his desire for a freer society.
President Donald Trump granted an unconditional pardon to the creator of the infamous Silk Road website, which he partially developed while living in Australia more than a decade ago.
Ross Ulbricht, 40, was arrested in 2013 after the online black market he founded facilitated the sale of illegal drugs using cryptocurrencies.
According to documents filed in a New York court, Ulbricht launched the site (described by FBI prosecutors as “the most sophisticated and large-scale criminal marketplace on the Internet today”) in January 2011 and in 2013. It operated until late September. He was arrested by the police.
He was in Sydney earlier in that timeline, and friends say he spent about six months there in 2011, during which time he lived in a shared house on Bondi Beach, one of Australia’s most visited tourist destinations. It is said that it was.
A friend in Sydney previously said she was “absolutely stunned” to learn of Ms Ulbricht’s double life.
“He’s the nicest guy,” said a friend. “He said he’s a programmer who does consulting projects, and with his laptop he can do it from anywhere on the go. It’s completely spun out.”
In early 2015, Ulbricht was sentenced to two life terms and 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, money laundering conspiracy, and computer hacking while operating under the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts.”
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said of Ulbricht’s sentence, “Make no mistake about it: Ulbricht was a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited people’s addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people. He was a person,” he said.
Ross Ulbricht (pictured right), 40, was arrested in 2013 after a dark website he set up allegedly facilitated the sale of illegal drugs using virtual currency.
According to documents filed in the Southern District of New York, Ulbricht founded the site in January 2011 and operated it until late September 2013.
Mr. Ulbricht’s pardon was not one of the many tasks President Trump completed on Monday, but he announced Tuesday night that Mr. Ulbricht had been granted a “full and unconditional pardon.”
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to commute Ulbricht’s sentence “on day one” if re-elected, drawing overwhelming support from the convicted criminal’s loved ones and fans.
The president announced Tuesday night that Ulbricht had been granted a “full and unconditional pardon.”
“I just called Ross William Wolbright’s mother (sic) and in honor of her and the libertarian movement that has strongly supported me, I would like to express my full and unconditional commitment to her son. “I told him I was happy to sign the pardon,” Trump revealed on TruthSocial.
“The scumbags who worked to convict him were the same lunatics responsible for weaponizing modern governments against me.
“He was sentenced to two life sentences and 40 years in prison. Ridiculous!’
Prosecutors had described Silk Road as an unprecedented one-stop online shopping mall with a virtually unlimited supply of drugs.
In the 2015 ruling, the judge cited the deaths of six people from drugs purchased on Ulbricht’s site and the five people he tried to kill. Ulbricht said at the time that he had changed.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Ulbricht’s pardon attorney said he remained hopeful that Mr. Trump would make good on his promise to commute his sentence.
In early 2015, he was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, money laundering conspiracy and computer hacking while operating under the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts.”
Mr. Trump pledged to commute Mr. Ulbricht’s sentence at a rally with Libertarians in May, drawing cheers from a distrustful crowd.
The next day, Ulbricht shared an update on X, revealing that he was aware of and encouraged by the effort.
Libertarian Party members stand on chairs chanting and demanding the release of Ross Ulbricht
“We expect President Trump to issue a pardon. “When the president was a candidate, he said he would release Ross on his first day in office.”
“I have no doubt that the President will follow through on his promise to release Ross. Ross, his family, and all of his supporters are forever grateful to President Trump for showing mercy to Ross. .”
Earlier, Sen. Rand Paul sent a letter to President Trump calling Ulbricht’s sentence “grossly disproportionate to the crime.” I received it,” he added.
Mr. Trump pledged to commute Mr. Ulbricht’s sentence at a rally with liberals in May, drawing cheers from an audience that had been in disbelief.
Ulbricht shared an update on X the next day, saying he recognized and was encouraged by the effort.
“Last night, Donald Trump promised to commute my sentence on day one if re-elected,” he wrote.
‘thank you. thank you. thank you. After spending 11 years in prison, it is difficult to express in words how I feel now. Thanks to your constant support, I may be given a second chance. ”
Ulbricht partially developed the Silk Road while living in Bondi, Sydney, Australia (pictured)
Ulbricht has previously maintained that he had no intention of what his website would ultimately become.
Despite being convicted of drug trafficking, he himself never sold illegal drugs.
“I was trying to help us move towards a freer and more just world,” Ulbricht said from prison in 2021.
“Everyone knows the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And now here I am.” I’m in hell. ”
