Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road, was pardoned by Trump.

• On Tuesday evening, President Trump honored his campaign promise to the cryptocurrency sector by issuing a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road.
• Not only did the infamous dark web marketplace facilitate the sale of illegal drugs, but it also pioneered the use of Bitcoin in the real world.
• Since 2015, Ulbricht, 40, has been serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for distributing narcotics and conspiring to commit computer hacking.

On Tuesday, Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, was granted a full pardon by President Donald Trump.

At least six people's deaths were linked to the infamous dark web marketplace, which served as a global hub for illicit drug sales, according to prosecutors.

Since 2015, Ulbricht, 40, has been serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in federal prison after being convicted on seven charges, including narcotics distribution and computer hacking conspiracy.

Trump announced on Truth Social that he had signed a full and unconditional pardon for Ross William Ulbricht's mother, in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement that supported him.

From 2011 to 2013, Silk Road operated as a marketplace for the sale of contraband, including illegal narcotics like heroin, resulting in over $200 million in sales, according to federal prosecutors.

The Silk Road, at its height, operated as a worldwide drug marketplace, with most transactions taking place in cryptocurrency. This made it one of the first significant uses of a cryptocurrency on a large scale.

Silk Road vendors were able to conceal their identities due to the anonymity provided by bitcoin, which prosecutors later argued was a key factor in their illegal activities.

Trump criticized the federal prosecutors involved in Ulbricht's case as "scum" in his pardon announcement on Tuesday, linking their actions to his recent federal and state prosecutions. Trump also expressed his disbelief at the length of Ulbricht's sentence, stating, "He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!"

In the digital currency community, Ulbricht is viewed as a pioneer who played a crucial role in the early adoption of bitcoin. There has been a growing movement to "Free Ross" in recent years, with rallies and online petitions.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump's decision to align himself with the crypto community provided an opportunity for Ulbricht.

In a post on X, Ulbricht thanked "everyone who voted for President Trump on my behalf" a few days after Trump's election in November, dictating the message to his wife from prison.