Can Ahmet 
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the online illegal marketplace Silk Road. Ulbricht, who has been in prison for 12 years, received a full and unconditional pardon.
Trump’s Statements
Trump made the following statements regarding the pardon:
“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross.”
Trump also described Ulbricht’s sentence of 40 years plus two life terms as “ridiculous.”
The Story of Silk Road and Ross Ulbricht
Ross Ulbricht was arrested in 2013 and sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2015. Ulbricht was punished for his role in founding and operating Silk Road.
Silk Road was an anonymous darknet marketplace where users could buy and sell both illegal and legal products using Bitcoin. This platform played a major role in Bitcoin’s early adoption.
Crypto Community’s Support
Pardoning Ulbricht was one of Trump’s many promises to the crypto community. Trump had pledged to pardon Ulbricht on his first day if re-elected.
Meanwhile, many people argued that Ulbricht’s role in Silk Road was exaggerated and that the platform’s free trade approach represented more than just crime. Some contended that he didn’t deserve a life sentence because both legal and illegal products were traded on the platform.
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