Musk said on Twitter that Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark web "Silk Road", will receive a presidential pardon.
So, what crime did this man commit? Many people are curious about who Ross Ulbricht is and why Trump chose to pardon him on the first day? This is not only a question about criminal justice, but also closely related to cryptocurrency, liberalism and the complex political background of American society. Next, let us walk into his controversial legendary story:
He created the largest Bitcoin market when Bitcoin was worth only $0.50
About 200,000 Bitcoins were confiscated by the government
Sentenced to life imprisonment and two life sentences
1. The Silk Road and the dream of a free market
Ross Ulbricht, you may not be familiar with this name, but he occupies a special place in the history of the Internet. In 2011, at the age of 27, he created the "Silk Road", a dark web market dedicated to the trading of drugs, forged documents and other illegal items. Silk Road uses Bitcoin as a payment tool and takes advantage of the anonymity of cryptocurrency to attract a large number of users around the world. Ulbricht envisions this platform as a "free market", which he believes can promote free trade and reduce violence in drug trafficking.
The Silk Road transactions involved millions of dollars, and the goods traded on the market included drugs, weapons, fake IDs, etc. Although Ulbricht was not directly involved in the transactions, he earned a lot of money by operating the website. As the market grew, the FBI eventually discovered the location of the Silk Road server and arrested Ulbricht in 2013.
2. Trial and sentencing: from “free market” to “violent crime”
In 2015, Ulbricht was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for drug distribution, money laundering, computer hacking, etc. Although his actions represent the promotion of the free market in the eyes of some liberals, the court ruled that his actions not only violated US law, but also that Ulbricht should be held responsible for the harm to society due to the violence caused by drug trafficking.
Although Ulbricht did not sell drugs himself, he facilitated drug trade by running the website, so he was charged with "continuing criminal enterprise" (similar to the charges faced by gang leaders). However, supporters believe that Ulbricht has reduced the violence of drug trade to some extent, and some even believe that the entry of drug trade into the online platform has avoided the conflicts and killings in the physical market.
To complicate matters further, during the trial, there were allegations that Ulbricht had tried to hire a killer and was even suspected of being involved in six murders. Although most of these allegations were hoaxes or assumptions, they undoubtedly increased public and judicial attention to his case and ultimately affected his sentencing.
3. The political game behind the pardon
In 2017, the Trump administration considered pardoning Ulbricht, but ultimately did not make a decision because of the murder charges involved in the case. By 2025, Trump again proposed pardoning Ulbricht, a move that was clearly closely related to his growing affinity with the cryptocurrency community. Ulbricht was seen as a symbol of the "free market" in the cryptocurrency community and became a "martyr" for libertarians.
Trump also publicly stated that Ulbricht's punishment in the judicial trial was too harsh, and he supported the concept of the "free market." Trump wrote on the social platform Truth Social: "In order to support the liberal movement, I signed an unconditional pardon for Ross. He should not be sentenced so severely." Trump also said that his sentence was driven by those who participated in modern political persecution, believing that these people used government power against him.
4. Cryptocurrency and Libertarianism are closely linked
Ulbricht's supporters, especially the cryptocurrency community, have long sought a pardon for him. They believe that the free market philosophy advocated by Ulbricht is in line with the values of cryptocurrency supporters - decentralization, free transactions, and personal privacy protection. In the eyes of many supporters, Ulbricht's actions are nothing more than fighting for an ideal and confronting the existing government system.
Trump's pardon undoubtedly caters to this huge cryptocurrency community, especially the libertarians among them. The influence of cryptocurrency is gradually expanding in American politics, and Trump's decision also reflects his increasingly close relationship with this group. Although Ulbricht is not the direct founder of cryptocurrency, his close relationship with Bitcoin makes him a "symbol figure" of this movement.
5. Ulbricht's future after release
Although Trump's pardon decision was warmly welcomed by supporters, Ulbricht's release remains controversial. Supporters believe that he has served enough time in prison and his crimes are relatively "non-violent" and should be pardoned. However, the murder charges involved in the case, especially the violence and criminal behavior behind dark web transactions, still make many people question whether Ulbricht really deserves a pardon.
Ulbricht's future role in society has also attracted much attention. In the United States, although he is regarded by some as a "hero of the free market", others believe that his actions have had a negative impact on society, especially fueling drug problems and crime.
6. Is Ulbricht really a “free market warrior”?
Is Ulbricht's case an excessive punishment or a proper punishment for a serious crime? In any case, the liberal ideas behind the Ulbricht incident, the rise of cryptocurrency, and Trump's close relationship with this circle have made the case more complicated.
In any case, Ulbricht’s release will have a profound impact on future judicial reforms and the social role of cryptocurrency, and it also makes us question the direction of judicial justice and liberal thought in American society.
What do you think of Ross Ulbricht? Share your thoughts in the comments.