Who is Ross Ulbricht?

Ross Ulbricht is the young entrepreneur who was convicted as the mastermind behind the website ‘Silk Road’ – a site found only on the deep web where one could purchase drugs, illegal documents and even hire hitmen. The dark web site facilitated $200m in illicit trade using Bitcoin before it was shut down.

After a lengthy trial in 2015 that many, including his family, believe was handled unjustly and unfairly, Ross was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of narcotics charges, known as ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ – the administrator of Silk Road and several other criminal charges.

While several Silk Road users and supporters of Ulbricht deny his involvement, he was arrested at a public library while logged into Silk Road within an administrative account.

For a better understanding of Ulbricht’s case as well as details about Silk Road, watch the following video:

Pardon and Release From Prison

In January 2025, after serving more than 10 years in prison, Ross Ulbricht was granted a full pardon by President Donald Trump, who criticized the severity of Ulbricht’s punishment.

Following his pardon, Ulbricht expressed immense gratitude to President Trump, stating, “He is a man of his word.” He described his release as an “amazing blessing” and conveyed his excitement to reclaim his future and spend time with his family.

Libertarians and supporters of Ulbricht have long viewed him as a pioneer of Bitcoin and a hero of the free market. His detractors, on the other hand, see his role in fostering a digital drug trade as deeply harmful and warranting a harsh punishment.