Donald Trump Pardons Ross Ulbricht, Founder of Silk Road Black Market

The new President of the United States, Donald Trump, granted a presidential pardon to Ross Ulbricht, founder of the digital black market Silk Road, on January 22, 2025, just two days after his inauguration. Ulbricht was arrested by federal authorities in October 2013 and sentenced to life in prison in 2015.

Silk Road was an online marketplace on the dark web that facilitated transactions for illegal goods, including narcotics. The platform was a pioneer in using the Tor network to ensure user anonymity and embraced Bitcoin, which had only recently been created. Its rapid popularity led to federal investigations and Ulbricht’s subsequent arrest.

Ross Ulbricht is regarded as a symbol of libertarian thought, a philosophy advocating for unlimited individual freedom and minimal state or government control. He is also highly esteemed within the cryptocurrency community. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump pledged to the libertarian electorate that he would pardon Ross Ulbricht if elected.