Trump pardons marketplace founder involved in drugs, a case supported by libertarians
Ross Ulbricht received a life sentence for his role in the ownership and operation of Silk Road, a dark web marketplace that facilitated the sale of drugs and other illegal goods.
TroibNews 
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he has granted a pardon to Ross William Ulbricht, the incarcerated creator of the dark web marketplace known for facilitating the sale of drugs and other illegal products. Ulbricht's case has garnered significant attention from libertarians and cryptocurrency advocates.
Trump linked his decision to Ulbricht’s imprisonment to the support he received from individuals who saw the Silk Road founder as both a pioneer and a victim of government overreach.
“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son,” the president shared on Truth Social.
He further drew parallels between Ulbricht's legal troubles and his own experiences with investigative entities in recent years.
“The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me,” he remarked.
In 2015, Ulbricht, who used the alias Dread Pirate Roberts, received a life sentence in a Manhattan federal court for his role in operating Silk Road, a notorious dark web marketplace. The platform became popular among crypto enthusiasts and libertarians due to its early adoption of Bitcoin and its challenge to governmental regulations.
Silk Road featured thousands of listings for narcotics, with sales totaling over $200 million, distributed across more than 10 countries.
Recently, Trump indicated that he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence “on Day One” during the Libertarian National Convention planned for 2024. This pardon follows his decision to grant clemency to nearly 1,600 individuals charged or convicted for their roles in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
Trump linked his decision to Ulbricht’s imprisonment to the support he received from individuals who saw the Silk Road founder as both a pioneer and a victim of government overreach.
“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son,” the president shared on Truth Social.
He further drew parallels between Ulbricht's legal troubles and his own experiences with investigative entities in recent years.
“The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me,” he remarked.
In 2015, Ulbricht, who used the alias Dread Pirate Roberts, received a life sentence in a Manhattan federal court for his role in operating Silk Road, a notorious dark web marketplace. The platform became popular among crypto enthusiasts and libertarians due to its early adoption of Bitcoin and its challenge to governmental regulations.
Silk Road featured thousands of listings for narcotics, with sales totaling over $200 million, distributed across more than 10 countries.
Recently, Trump indicated that he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence “on Day One” during the Libertarian National Convention planned for 2024. This pardon follows his decision to grant clemency to nearly 1,600 individuals charged or convicted for their roles in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
