Silk Road marketplace founder Ross Ulbricht has issued his first public statement following President Donald Trump’s unconditional pardon. During his address, Ulbright thanked Trump for the gesture and called him a man of his word. In his video broadcast, Ulbricht highlighted that freedom matters greatly.
Ulbricht began the video by announcing to his followers on X that the President of the United States granted him a full and unconditional pardon last night. He was supposed to serve a life sentence without parole and had spent about 11 years in jail, but Trump just gave him freedom. Ulbricht sees the pardon as a shot at redemption, thanking those who worked hard to help him get to where he is.
Ross Ulbricht’s pardon will endear crypto fans to Trump
Ross Ulbricht’s pardon has automatically put Trump in the good books of most crypto fans, gaining support from the community. The crypto community and other experts have longed for Ulbricht’s release since his incarceration, and Trump has given them the one thing they desire. Per a Bloomberg report, the crypto community has been engaged in legal proceedings since it proves how Bitcoin cannot be censored.
The pardon shows that Trump values the input from believers and leaders in the crypto industry. Supporters have also talked about the length of Ulbricht’s sentence, considering it was carried out without violence. Trump had already mentioned at the Libertarian Party convention that he was going to reduce Ulbricht’s sentence if he was elected as president, highlighting the 11 years he already served.
Ulbricht followed Bitcoin’s performance during imprisonment
While he was in jail, Ulbricht maintained constant communication with the outside world via several modes, including letters, blog posts, and activities on X controlled by his managers. The support has seen him reiterate his undying love for Bitcoin. “Much more is being said about Bitcoin these days than when I was put in prison.” Through the Silk Road, he thought of “putting Bitcoin to good use and giving people privacy and freedom,” he said in one of his blog posts.
He also explained the reason why he listed drugs on the platform, noting that they should be legal.“Nevermind [sic] that they were outlawed and I was risking everything I held dear,” Ulbricht added. He noted that he wants to spend time with his family, saying he needs to recover and readjust from prison life. “I’m going to be with my family so that we can reunite, be whole again, and heal.” Although he intends to remain low-key, Ulbricht stated he will return to “talk again.”