In a move that has stirred significant controversy, President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Ross William Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, a notorious dark web marketplace. Ulbricht, who had been serving a life sentence since his conviction in 2015, was arrested in 2013 after the FBI traced his activities. Silk Road, operating under the alias “Dread Pirate Roberts,” allowed users to anonymously trade illegal goods, including drugs, using Bitcoin, and attracted nearly a million users globally. Despite his actions contributing to multiple deaths, Ulbricht was seen by some as a symbol of civil liberties, with his supporters, including Libertarian leaders, decrying his sentence as excessive.
Trump’s pardon fulfills a campaign promise he made during the 2024 Libertarian National Convention, where he assured supporters that, if elected, he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence to time served. Trump called the legal proceedings that led to Ulbricht’s conviction “ridiculous” and claimed that the legal officials who handled his case had also targeted him during his presidency. The pardon also came after Trump publicly reached out to Ulbricht’s mother, expressing his admiration for the Libertarian Movement, which had supported his political efforts.
Ulbricht’s case has drawn attention from both advocates and critics of his actions. While Libertarian National Committee Chair Angela McArdle celebrated the pardon, calling Ulbricht a “political prisoner,” former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara had condemned Ulbricht’s crimes, stating that his operation of Silk Road had fueled drug abuse and contributed to multiple deaths. Despite these differing perspectives, Trump’s decision highlights the ongoing debate over criminal justice reform and the nature of Ulbricht’s sentencing.
Source: BUSINESS DAY