President Donald Trump is preparing to pardon Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous dark web marketplace Silk Road, according to sources close to the White House.
A source with knowledge of the matter told The Post that a pardon is expected to be announced soon. Ulbricht’s pardon attorney, Brandon Sample, confirmed the possibility in an email, saying, “We expect President Trump to grant clemency.”
Ulbricht, now 40, was arrested in San Francisco in 2013 and accused of operating the dark web platform Silk Road, which facilitated the sale of drugs and other illegal goods using Bitcoin as its primary currency. Operating under the alias “Dread Pirate Roberts,” Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 of drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy to commit computer hacking.
He was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years without the possibility of parole and has since been unable to appeal his conviction and sentence, even taking his case to the Supreme Court. Ulbricht is currently serving his sentence in a maximum security prison in Arizona.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to commute Ulbricht’s life sentence to time served if he was re-elected. This promise garnered significant support from Libertarians, who see Ulbricht as a symbol of free-market innovation. His supporters frequently displayed “Free Ross” signs at Trump’s rallies and events, including the Libertarian National Convention.
Ulbricht’s potential release has been controversial, with libertarian groups championing him as a pioneer of decentralized markets and individual freedom, while critics argue his platform facilitates major criminal activity, including drug trafficking.
*This is not investment advice.
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