News

Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht

Trump fulfills another campaign promise to crypto voters.

Jan 22, 2025 • 1 min read

President Donald Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the notorious dark web marketplace, Silk Road. Ulbricht had been serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole since 2015. His potential pardon had been one of Trump's early campaign promises used to attract crypto voters.

What’s the Scoop?

Presidential Pardon: President Trump announced the full and unconditional pardon of Ross Ulbricht, ending his life sentence.
Silk Road Background: Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 for creating and operating Silk Road, an online platform that facilitated over $200 million in transactions using Bitcoin.

Bankless Take

President Trump's pardon of Ross Ulbricht is a landmark decision with implications that will affect the cryptocurrency and legal communities. While supporters argue that Ulbricht's life sentence was overly harsh for non-violent offenses, critics say that the pardon undermines the severity of cybercrime and illicit online activities. This case may influence future legal proceedings involving digital marketplaces and could signal a shift in how similar cases are prosecuted and penalized.

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