On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the “Silk Road” online marketplace, which was used for the sale of illegal drugs. Ulbricht had been sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for running the dark web platform that facilitated over $200 million in drug transactions globally.
Trump shared the news on his Truth Social platform, revealing that he had personally contacted Ulbricht’s mother to inform her of the pardon. He also expressed that the decision was made in honor of both Ulbricht and the Libertarian Movement, which had strongly supported him.
Ulbricht, who operated Silk Road under the alias “Dread Pirate Roberts,” was convicted for narcotics distribution, criminal enterprise, and allegedly commissioning multiple murders. He had been sentenced to two life terms.
During his campaign, Trump had promised to pardon Ulbricht, a stance that resonated with libertarian circles, who viewed his conviction as an overreach by the government. Trump’s decision was met with enthusiasm from his libertarian supporters, despite his previous commitment to imposing severe penalties on drug traffickers.
