Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder: Controversy Erupts Over Political Pardon
Former President Trump issued a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road online drug marketplace, who had received a life sentence in 2015. This action, praised by the Libertarian Party, follows Trump’s previous announcement of a sentence commutation and aligns with his stated intention to significantly lessen cryptocurrency regulation. Ulbricht’s lawyer expressed relief at the correction of an injustice, while the pardon’s timing coincides with expectations of a broader shift in cryptocurrency policy under Trump’s administration. The pardon has sparked debate considering the significant scale of illicit activity facilitated by Silk Road.
John Q. Hosedrinker