WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Former President Donald Trump granted a full pardon Friday to Ross William Ulbricht, the creator of the notorious Silk Road darknet marketplace, which had facilitated criminal activities, including drug trafficking.
Ulbricht was serving a life sentence for his part in creating the darknet online platform.
Trump announced this on Tuesday, saying that he had personally called Ulbricht’s mother to tell her of the pardon, which he framed as a gesture in honor of the Libertarian movement and its supporters. The former president stated that the life sentence heaped on Ulbricht was ridiculous and was disproportionate to the crimes committed. He also pointed out that legal figures involved in the case weaponized the government when he was the president.
Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 on multiple counts, which included conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit computer hacking, and conspiracy to traffic narcotics. His arrest came after the shutdown of Silk Road by the FBI in October 2013. The U.S. Justice Department characterized this site as the “most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the Internet today.”
While Ulbricht’s conviction has been controversial, with many who feel it was too harsh in its verdict, Trump’s decision to pardon him follows a promise he made during his campaign to commute Ulbricht’s sentence if re-elected.
