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The founder of Silk Road thanked the US president for his “amazing blessing” in a video message after his release from prison.
Ross Ulbricht, founder of darknet markets Pardoned by US President Donald Trumpspoke about his release from prison for the first time.
Ulbricht, 40, was sentenced in 2015 to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for running Silk Road. U.S. prosecutors say Silk Road was an illegal online marketplace that used Bitcoin to facilitate $183 million in drug sales.
Trump granted Ulbricht a full and unconditional pardon on Tuesday, fulfilling a campaign promise to libertarians and cryptocurrency enthusiasts who lobbied for Ulbricht’s release.
Ulbricht thanked Trump for granting him clemency in a video posted Friday.
“I’ve been living life without parole, I was locked up for over 11 years, but he let me out. I’m a free man now. So let people know that Donald Trump is a man of his word, ” he said.
“Thank you so much to President Trump for this amazing blessing. I’m so, so grateful to have my life back, my future back, a second chance.”
Ulbricht said he plans to spend time with his family but has more to say in the future.
“This is a win, and it’s your win. This is an important moment for everyone around the world who loves freedom and cares about second chances.”
“The feeling of freedom is awesome, to say the least. It’s overwhelming.”
— Ross Ulbricht (@RealRossU) January 24, 2025
Ulbricht’s case is seen as an example of government overreach by libertarians and cryptocurrency supporters, who argue that Ulbricht was unfairly prosecuted for transactions conducted by others and that his punishment did not fit the crime.
Ulbricht’s lawyers also argue that while he created the site, he turned control over to others within months and was lured back to serve as a scapegoat as authorities closed in.
In announcing Ulbricht’s pardon, Trump called Ulbricht’s punishment “ridiculous” and said those responsible for his prosecution were “the same lunatics who participated in the weaponization of modern government against me.” “.
U.S. prosecutors viewed Ulbricht as a criminal mastermind driven by a desire for money and power and claimed drugs sold on his website had led to the deaths of six people.
Prosecutors also claimed that Ulbricht had encouraged the murder of people he considered a threat to his operations, although he was not convicted of any such crime and there was no evidence that anyone was actually killed.
While some Republicans known for espousing liberal views welcomed Trump’s pardon, the move drew condemnation from some Democratic lawmakers.
“Pardoning drug kingpins is a slap in the face to families who have lost loved ones to crime,” Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said in a post on X.
“Donald Trump should explain to them how this all makes America safer. It’s an outrage.”
