- President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road online marketplace
- Ulbricht, who was serving a life sentence since 2015 for operating the illicit platform, has been released following the presidential clemency
- Libertarian groups and advocates, who have long championed Ulbricht’s cause, have expressed gratitude for the pardon
In a significant exercise of presidential clemency, President Donald Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the notorious Silk Road online marketplace. Ulbricht had been serving a life sentence plus 40 years since his 2015 conviction on charges including drug trafficking and money laundering, but Trump has been good on his campaign promise to set him free. The pardon has been met with approval from libertarian circles, who have consistently argued that Ulbricht’s punishment was excessively harsh, despite it coming later than Trump promised.
“Lunatics” Imprisoned Ulbricht
President Trump had promised to free Ulbricht on day one of his presidency, and, while that day came and went with no mention, last night, Trump announced via his social media platform, Truth Social, that he had granted a “full and unconditional pardon” to the Texan.
Trump stated that he had informed Ulbricht’s mother of the decision, citing the support of the Libertarian movement as an influencing factor. He criticized those involved in Ulbricht’s conviction, describing them as “the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me.” Interestingly, one of the “lunatics” who helped but him away was Tigran Gambaryan, who yesterday appealed to the new Trump administration for a job.
Dread Pirate Roberts to Sail the Open Sea Once Again
Ulbricht was arrested in 2013 for creating and operating Silk Road, an underground website that facilitated the sale of illegal drugs and other illicit goods using Bitcoin. Operating under the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts,” Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, leading to two life sentences plus 40 years without the possibility of parole.
Libertarian activists have long viewed Ulbricht as a political prisoner and have campaigned for his release, arguing that his sentence was disproportionately severe for a non-violent offender. Critics have campaigned relentlessly for Ulbricht to be freed, or his sentence reduced, including the Libertarian National Committee, whose chair, Angela McArdle, stated, “Ross Ulbricht has been a libertarian political prisoner for more than a decade… saving his life has been one of our top priorities and that has finally paid off.”
Ulbricht’s attorney, Brandon Sample, expressed profound gratitude for the presidential pardon, stating that it offers Ulbricht “the opportunity to begin anew, to rebuild his life, and to contribute positively to society.” He emphasized that the decision marks the end of a challenging journey for Ulbricht and his family, fulfilling Ulbricht’s wish, stated last May following Trump’s pledge, to get a “second chance.”
