Trump grants full pardon to Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht

US President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road, the notorious dark web marketplace.

Ulbricht, who was convicted in 2015, had been sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in running Silk Road, which facilitated the sale of illegal drugs, hacking tools, and stolen passports.

Trump made the announcement via his Truth Social platform, stating that he had personally informed Ulbricht’s mother of the decision.

Ulbricht, who operated Silk Road under the alias "Dread Pirate Roberts", was arrested in 2013, and the website was shut down by authorities.

The site was known for processing over $200 million worth of illicit transactions, primarily in Bitcoin.

The former Silk Road operator was convicted on charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking.

Prosecutors also claimed Ulbricht had solicited murders-for-hire, although no killings were ever confirmed. He had been serving two life sentences plus 40 years.

Trump expressed his belief that the conviction was overly harsh, describing it as "ridiculous". He also linked the legal proceedings to what he described as the "weaponization" of government against him.

Ulbricht’s case had long been a topic of debate, with many Libertarian groups arguing that his sentence was a clear example of government overreach.

The Libertarian National Convention had previously advocated for his release, and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie voiced his support for Trump’s decision, thanking him for fulfilling his promise to push for Ulbricht’s freedom.

Trump had hinted at commuting Ulbricht’s sentence in previous speeches, and his decision to issue a full pardon marks a significant move in the ongoing debate over privacy, anonymity, and internet freedom.