Former U.S. President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road, a notorious dark web marketplace used for illegal drug sales.
Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 for conspiracy charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking. He was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years without parole. Trump announced the pardon on Jan. 16, citing support from libertarians and criticism of the judicial system’s handling of Ulbricht’s case. The decision was celebrated by Ulbricht’s advocates, including his mother, and supported by libertarian groups and Republican congressman Thomas Massie.
The pardon was signed on Jan. 16, 2025, and announced publicly on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
Ulbricht was arrested in San Francisco in 2013 and tried in New York. The announcement of his pardon came during Trump’s time at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Trump argued that Ulbricht’s conviction represented government overreach and criticized prosecutors involved in the case. He highlighted the severity of Ulbricht’s punishment, labeling it “ridiculous” and disproportionate compared to his crimes. Libertarians and some lawmakers viewed Ulbricht’s case as emblematic of excessive punishment for digital innovators operating in unregulated spaces.
Trump revealed he personally informed Ulbricht’s mother of the pardon, which he had previously hinted at during the Libertarian National Convention in 2024. The pardon has drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters view it as correcting a miscarriage of justice, while opponents argue it undermines the message that the legal system sought to send about the consequences of operating illegal online marketplaces.
Silk Road, operational from 2011 until its shutdown in 2013, facilitated over $200 million in transactions, primarily in Bitcoin. Despite its closure, Ulbricht’s arrest did little to deter the rise of other dark web marketplaces. The pardon reignites debate over digital privacy, government overreach, and the proportionality of sentencing for cyber-related crimes.
