President Trump announced on Truth Social that he had granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, an online black market for illegal drugs. Ulbricht, also known as “Dread Pirate Roberts,” was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for operating Silk Road between 2011 and 2013. The platform was linked to several overdose deaths worldwide, and Ulbricht was given two life sentences plus 40 years, which Trump called “ridiculous.” Trump cited Ulbricht’s conviction as an example of the “modern day weaponization of government.” Silk Road facilitated the distribution of illegal drugs by thousands of dealers to over 100,000 buyers and helped launder hundreds of millions of dollars from these transactions. The president’s decision was made in honor of Ulbricht’s mother and the Libertarian Movement, which supported Trump. The pardon has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the message it sends about drug distribution and criminal activities online.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com