President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he has pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.
The Silk Road founder had been serving a life sentence since 2015 following his conviction on charges including conspiracy and money laundering.
Trump revealed the decision on his social media platform, Truth Social, sharing that he personally informed Ulbricht’s mother of the pardon. He stated the move was made in honour of her and the broader freedom movement, which had long championed Ulbricht’s release.
Ulbricht’s case has been a polarizing topic, particularly within the cryptocurrency community, where many have criticized his sentence as excessive. Libertarians have also been vocal in their support, viewing the prosecution as an example of government overreach. Trump’s announcement follows his pledge at the Libertarian National Convention in May to commute Ulbricht’s sentence to time served.
Silk Road, which operated on the dark web for nearly three years, facilitated over 1.5 million transactions, generating more than $200 million in revenue, according to authorities. The platform allowed the sale of illegal drugs, hacking tools, and counterfeit documents.
Prosecutors also alleged that the Silk Road founder had solicited murders for hire against perceived threats, though they acknowledged there was no evidence the killings occurred.
Ulbricht’s life sentence became a rallying cause for Libertarians advocating for drug policy reform and less punitive sentencing. The Libertarian Party praised Trump’s decision, calling it a step toward addressing government overreach.