He was sentenced to die in prison but Silk Road founder is now walking free

Three years after launching a website that would change Bitcoin forever, 29-year-old Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to die in prison. Now he’s free.

The mastermind behind the “Silk Road” online marketplace that facilitated millions of dollars of drug sales has been given a full and unconditional pardon by US President Donald Trump.

Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of running the dark web platform, on which some $US200 million in narcotics were sold to customers across the world.

Ulbricht, who dubbed himself “Dread Pirate Roberts”, had also been accused of commissioning five murders, was sentenced to two life sentences for narcotics distribution and criminal enterprise.

A drawing of Ross William Ulbricht during his high-profile trial. Picture: Supplied

Why Ross Ulbricht was pardoned

On the campaign trail last year, Mr Trump had promised to free 40-year-old Ulbricht during a speech at the Libertarian National Convention, as he sought to gain the party’s support.

“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honour 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,” Mr Trump said in a post on his Truth Social website, a day after being sworn in.

Ulbricht’s case had become a cause célèbre in libertarian circles, with supporters decrying the conviction as government overreach and against the principles of free markets.

People hold up signs reading "Free Ross" as Donald Trump arrives to address the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, DC, May 25, 2024. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

“The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponisation of government against me,” Mr Tump said on Tuesday.

Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed that federal and state criminal charges filed against him were politically motivated.

The Republican has previously vowed to impose the death penalty on drug traffickers — though the promise to free Ulbricht brought cheers from the crowd last May.

The Libertarian Party routinely runs minor candidates that promote both popular limited-government ideas like marijuana legalisation while simultaneously pushing fringe ideas like abolishing the federal tax collection agency or social security.

Ross Ulbricht leaving prison. Supplied

What was the Silk Road?

The FBI described the Silk Road as a “digital bazaar for illegal goods and services” that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in sales, as well as commissions in Bitcoin.

The Silk Road was used to sell illicit items like drugs, hacking equipment and stolen passports through the use of Bitcoin, The US Sun reports.

The hidden service on the Tor network managed to generate more than $US13 million dollars worth of Bitcoin in commissions.

Although the Silk Road was shut down, it has since been replaced by other darknet marketplaces.

Notorious arrest in a library

The Silk Road was brought down in 2013 after the FBI arrested Ulbricht in a library, the culmination of an investigation into narcotics and money laundering.

His arrest was carefully-planned, with FBI agents distracting Ulbricht by pretending to fight each other, in order to ensure data on his laptop was not deleted or encrypted.

After a trial, the former Boy Scout was handed two life sentences, plus 40 years of imprisonment, and ordered to pay $US183 million in restitution.

Trump on a pardon spree

Mr Trump on Tuesday said he called Ulbricht’s mother to inform her that he had granted him an unconditional pardon.

Mr Trump has courted the conservative base that catapulted him to power by pardoning his supporters and targeting opponents in a shock-and-awe start to his second presidency.

Hours after being sworn in on Monday, Mr Trump granted pardons to more than 1500 people who stormed the US Capitol in 2021 including those convicted of assaulting police officers.

Elon Musk pushed for pardon

In a sign of Elon Musk’s influence over the new US administration, the tech billionaire said he was “honoured to be in the Oval Office” when Mr Trump granted a pardon to Ulbricht.

Earlier, Mr Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns, that “Ross will be freed too”.

Mr Musk shares Mr Trump’s hard-right politics and put millions of dollars into supporting his presidential campaign.

Mr Trump has tapped Mr Musk to lead an advisory commission aiming to slash federal spending and bureaucracy, which while dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE,” will not be an official US agency.

- with AFP and The US Sun

Originally published as He was sentenced to die in prison but Silk Road founder is now walking free