Trump Grants Clemency to Dark Web mogul
30
World
January 22, 2025 16:07
united states - President Trump fulfills promise to pardon Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht after being sentenced to life in 2015.
Trump's Controversial Decision to Pardon Ross Ulbricht
President Trump has recently announced that he has granted clemency to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the illicit e-commerce platform Silk Road, known for facilitating the sale of illegal products using Bitcoin on the Dark Web.
In 2013, Ulbricht was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison for charges related to drug trafficking, computer hacking, and money laundering. The controversial decision to pardon Ulbricht has sparked debates and divided opinions among the public.
The History of Silk Road and Ross Ulbricht
Ulbricht, also known by his online alias 'Dread Pirate Roberts,' established Silk Road as a 'free-market website' where users could anonymously purchase a variety of illegal goods and services using Bitcoin. The platform gained notoriety for its role in the global drug trade and the use of cryptocurrencies for transactions.
The prosecution claimed that Silk Road facilitated over $214 million worth of drug transactions over a two-year period, leading to multiple overdose deaths. Despite accusations of soliciting murders for hire, no concrete evidence linking Ulbricht to any killings was found.
The Impact of Bitcoin and Silk Road
Silk Road's operations highlighted the potential of Bitcoin as a means of anonymous payment, contributing to the cryptocurrency's growing popularity. The case also raised concerns about the regulation of online black markets and the use of digital currencies in illegal activities.