Donald Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht

On January 22, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he has “fully and unconditionally” pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road darknet marketplace, which was shut down in 2013.

“I just called Ross William Ulbricht’s mother to let her know that, in her honor and in honor of the Libertarian movement that has so strongly supported me, I was pleased to sign a full and unconditional pardon for her son, Ross. The people who prosecuted him are the same crazies who have used the government against me in today’s world. He was given two life sentences plus 40 years. Ridiculous!” Trump wrote.

Fulfilling a Campaign Promise

Last year, during a speech at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C., Trump promised that if re-elected as President, he would commute Ross Ulbricht’s life sentence to time served. With this pardon, Trump has now fulfilled one of his campaign promises.

Background on the Case

Ross Ulbricht was sentenced in 2015 as the founder of the infamous Silk Road marketplace. He received a life sentence after being convicted of drug trafficking, hacking, dealing in fake documents, and money laundering. In total, Ulbricht was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years, effectively life without the possibility of parole.

The Silk Road website, which launched in 2011, was shut down in 2013. The darknet marketplace is considered one of the first real-world examples of Bitcoin use.

Impact and Reactions

After his arrest and sentencing, Ulbricht became a symbol for many in the crypto community and among libertarians, who argued that his sentence was excessive and violated his constitutional rights. As early as 2018, the Libertarian Party had already called on then-President Trump to pardon Ross Ulbricht.

Ulbricht’s attorney, Joshua Dratel, told the media that he is “extremely pleased that this injustice has been corrected.” According to Dratel, the pardon ensures that Ulbricht “has a whole life ahead of him” and can now “become the productive person he could have been all these years.”