U.S. President Donald Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous darknet marketplace Silk Road, who had been serving multiple life sentences for operating the platform that facilitated over $200 million in illicit trade using Bitcoin (BTC).

Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht After Decade-Long Imprisonment

The 40-year-old Ulbricht, who had been imprisoned in Arizona, was arrested in 2013 and sentenced in 2015 for running what prosecutors described as a global black market bazaar used by more than 100,000 people to trade illegal drugs and other illicit services.

Trump announced the decision on his Truth Social platform, criticizing those involved in Ulbricht's conviction and highlighting support from the Libertarian movement. The pardon fulfills a campaign promise Trump made during a speech at the Libertarian National Convention.