Ross Ulbricht has yet to receive commutation for his prison sentence from President Donald Trump, dashing hopes from advocates, in the immediate term, to set the notorious figure free.
After spending a session in the Oval Office signing executive orders, President Trump now heads to the Commander in Chief Ball and the Liberty Ball to celebrate.
It is unclear whether Trump intends to pardon or commute Ulbricht’s sentence in the coming weeks. A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to Decrypt’s request for comment.
"If you vote for me, on day one, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht," Trump told attendees at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention in May last year, sparking renewed hope for the Silk Road founder’s freedom.
Ulbricht, now 40, responded from prison with gratitude. "After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment," he wrote on X at the time, thanking supporters who kept his case alive.
Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Thanks Trump for Pardon Promise
Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht offered up thanks to former U.S. President and 2024 hopeful Donald Trump for pledging to commute his sentence "on day one" of his term if he's reelected. He made the remark during a speech at the Libertarian National Convention on Saturday night. "Last night, Donald Trump pledged to commute my sentence on day 1, if reelected. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," Ulbricht wrote on Twitter. "After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment. It...
President Trump’s promise stated he would “commute” Ulbricht’s sentence, as opposed to a pardon. A commutation reduces the severity of a criminal sentence while maintaining the underlying conviction, shortening prison time.
A pardon goes further by granting complete forgiveness, effectively erasing all legal penalties, and restoring civil rights while not declaring innocence outright. Clemency, on the other hand, refers to the authority of government officials that enables both commutations and pardons.
Who is Ross Ulbricht?
Ulbricht, a former Eagle Scout and materials science graduate, founded the Silk Road marketplace in 2011. He was 26 at the time and built Silk Road as an underground e-commerce platform that enabled then-anonymous transactions using Bitcoin.
In October 2013, he was arrested at a San Francisco public library, where FBI agents seized his laptop while it was still connected to the site's administration panel.
The Silk Road operated as the first modern darknet marketplace, facilitating $1.2 billion in Bitcoin transactions before its shutdown and establishing new patterns for anonymous online commerce.
Ulbricht received two life sentences plus 40 years without parole in 2015, convicted of money laundering, computer hacking, and narcotics trafficking charges.
Trump Vows Once Again to 'Save' Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht
Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht has begun his 12th year in prison, sharing his resolve to make the most of his time. Former President Donald Trump pledged once again on Wednesday to “save” Ulbricht, a promise that reopens old wounds and sparks debates over crypto and justice. On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump declared, “I WILL SAVE ROSS ULBRICHT!” on Truth Social, reviving interest in Ulbricht's story and the platform that defined Bitcoin’s early use. Ulbricht’s case, tied to the rise...
Having served over a decade in prison, Ulbricht has maintained an exemplary record behind bars, tutoring fellow inmates, teaching classes, and collecting over 150 prisoner testimonials supporting his release.
His case has become a focal point in debates over criminal justice reform, internet freedom, and the ethics of digital marketplaces.
"I'll spend the next few decades in this cage. Then, sometime later this century, I'll grow old and die. I'll finally leave prison, but I'll be in a body bag," Ulbricht told an interviewer in August 2021.
Supporters argue his sentence was excessive, pointing to his clean record as a model prisoner who has expressed remorse while helping fellow inmates. Over 150 current and former prisoners have signed letters supporting his clemency.
All of Trump's Crypto Promises, From Boosting Bitcoin Mining to Firing Gensler
Former President Donald Trump has pitched big plans for crypto on the campaign trail, folding several promises into his reelection bid while trying to make inroads with digital asset owners. When it comes to the nascent industry, crypto isn’t listed among 20 core goals that make up the Republican Party’s official 2024 platform—and the topic didn't come up during his interview with Elon Musk in August. Still, in a draft document released in July, crypto was mentioned alongside artificial intellig...
"I was trying to help us move toward a freer and more equitable world," Ulbricht said from prison in 2021. "We all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and now here I am. I'm in hell."
While prosecutors painted Ulbricht as a dangerous kingpin, advocates describe him as an idealistic libertarian whose non-violent platform reduced risks in drug transactions.
“I hope you get the freedom you deserve. Life imprisonment for what you did is absurd,” Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin wrote, replying to a post on X from Ulbricht.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
