President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, creator of the Silk Road, an underground digital marketplace.
The Daily Mail reported that in a move to fulfill a campaign promise to Libertarian voters, President Trump has issued a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, who was serving life in prison on charges including drug trafficking.
Ulbricht, the person behind the infamous online black market Silk Road, was arrested in 2013. He was widely known by his pseudonym, "Dread Pirate Roberts." Silk Road was a revolutionary part of the dark web that used cryptocurrency for transactions, primarily illegal drugs.
In early 2015, Ulbricht faced stern sentencing for multiple felonies: drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking.
These charges collectively put him behind bars for two life terms plus an additional 40 years without the possibility of parole.
During the sentencing, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara underscored Ulbricht's role in drug-related deaths and exploitation of addiction: "Ulbricht was a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited people’s addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people."
While campaigning for re-election, Trump vocally promised to commute Ulbricht's sentence if victorious, citing disproportionate sentencing compared to other Silk Road affiliates. This promise garnered significant support from Libertarian groups and Ulbricht's family and friends who viewed his sentence as excessive.
Despite expectations, Trump did not address Ulbricht’s clemency on his first day in office during his second term. Rather, a full pardon was declared on the following Tuesday evening, announced via Trump’s TruthSocial platform.
In his post, Trump expressed disdain for the prosecutors involved in Ulbricht's case and reiterated his support for the Libertarian Movement.
"I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbright to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement...It was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross," Trump stated on TruthSocial.
The Silk Road, described by prosecutors as an "unprecedented online shopping mall for drugs," facilitated the sale of drugs linked to at least six fatalities. The sentencing judge also highlighted five attempted murders ordered by Ulbricht during his control of Silk Road.
Despite this, Ulbricht expressed remorse at his sentencing. He claimed to have evolved as a person, denoting his initial intent for the Silk Road was not to create a massive platform for illegal drug trading.
"I was trying to help us move toward a freer and more equitable world...We all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and now here I am. I’m in hell," Ulbricht shared from prison in 2021.
The Libertarian Party has been fervently advocating for Ulbricht's release, starkly criticizing the severity of his sentencing relative to other Silk Road-connected individuals. Their campaigning was crucial in attracting presidential attention.
Notably, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky intervened, penning a letter to President Trump emphasizing the disproportionate nature of Ulbricht’s sentence.
On social media application X, Ulbricht himself remarked on the pledge made by Trump: "Last night, Donald Trump pledged to commute my sentence on day 1, if reelected. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment. It is thanks to your undying support that I may get a second chance," he posted.
The pardon of Ross Ulbricht by President Trump not only underscores the influence of the Libertarian Movement within his administration but also reflects a critical stance on the criminal justice system, particularly concerning prosecutions perceived as overly aggressive or unfair.