Donald Trump Grants Presidential Pardon To The Founder Of Silk Road!
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has just granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the underground website Silk Road, after more than 11 years of incarceration! He had been sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole for charges of drug trafficking and money laundering using bitcoin. This pardon from Trump, which is not well received by everyone, is part of the numerous promises made to the crypto community during the electoral period.
Presidential Pardon: Donald Trump Releases Ross Ulbricht, Founder of Silk Road
Known by the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts”, Ross Ulbricht was arrested in October 2013 and then sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for creating and managing Silk Road, an online marketplace on the dark web where users could buy and sell drugs, weapons, and other illegal products using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. The site, launched in 2011, was known for its anonymity and untraceable transactions, making it a preferred place for illicit activities.
Trump’s decision to pardon Ulbricht on January 21, 2025, was influenced by the support from the libertarian movement and the crypto community, who considered his sentence excessive. The president referred to Ulbricht’s sentence as “ridiculous” and criticized the prosecutors involved in his conviction.
Figures such as Senator Rand Paul had also called for clemency, highlighting the disproportionate severity of his sentence compared to other similar offenders.
A Decision That Lacks Consensus!
The presidential pardon has been positively received by Ulbricht’s supporters, who saw him as a pioneer in the use of bitcoin and a symbol of the fight against excessive sentences for non-violent crimes. However, this decision has also sparked criticism, with some saying it could encourage the use of cryptocurrencies for illegal purposes. Others argue that Silk Road contributed to the spread of online crime and that the life sentence was justified.
Ulbricht’s release by Donald Trump thus marks a turning point in the history of online underground markets and raises questions about the balance between criminal justice and individual liberties. While some see Ulbricht as a pioneer of Bitcoin (BTC) being unjustly persecuted, others view him as a criminal who profited from the sale of dangerous substances.
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Le monde évolue et l'adaptation est la meilleure arme pour survivre dans cet univers ondoyant. Community manager crypto à la base, je m'intéresse à tout ce qui touche de près ou de loin à la blockchain et ses dérivés. Dans l'optique de partager mon expérience et de faire connaître un domaine qui me passionne, rien de mieux que de rédiger des articles informatifs et décontractés à la fois.
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