Ross Ulbricht will be free: the 11th year of imprisonment marks the end of an era for the founder of Silk Road

After more than a decade in prison, Ross Ulbricht, creator of the dark web marketplace Silk Road, will be free on January 30 thanks to the promise kept by Trump. The news marks a historic chapter in the fight against digital crime.

Let’s see all the details in this article. 

From Trump’s promise to reality: Ross Ulbricht will be free on January 30

As anticipated, Ross Ulbricht, known as the founder of Silk Road, the famous and controversial drug market on the dark web, will be released on the upcoming January 30 after 11 years of imprisonment. 

His release represents an epochal moment, not only for the world of digital crime, but also for the libertarian communities and criptovalute, who have been demanding his freedom for years.

The release of Ulbricht comes following a promise made by the former president Donald Trump during his election campaign. 

On the occasion of the Libertarian National Convention last May, Trump declared that he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence on the first day of his term, earning the applause of many libertarian supporters. 

Now, a few weeks after taking office, that promise is becoming a reality. 

Ulbricht, arrested in 2013 and sentenced in 2015 for seven charges related to money laundering, computer system violations, and drug trafficking, had been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. 

A penalty considered by many to be excessive, especially when compared with those of other similar cases. 

The mother of Ulbricht, Lyn, has led an unprecedented media campaign over the years, using the slogan “Free Ross” to raise public awareness and collect more than 600,000 signatures in a petition for his release.

Silk Road: revolution or crime?

Launched in 2011, Silk Road was the first marketplace on the dark web to leverage Bitcoin to ensure anonymity for users.

For two and a half years, the platform became the main point of reference for illegal trade, allowing the sale of drugs, fake documents, and money laundering services. 

Ulbricht, under the pseudonym of “Dread Pirate Roberts”, managed the site with an anarcho-capitalist vision, defending forms of crime that he defined as “victimless”.

His figure has remained controversial: for some, a revolutionary trying to reduce the violence linked to drug trafficking, for others, a criminal who indirectly contributed to overdose and deaths. 

During the trial, the prosecutors argued that Ulbricht had ordered six contract killings to protect the platform, but no murder charges were formalized.

The impact of the release

The news of Ulbricht’s release has sparked mixed reactions. On one hand, the libertarian world and the cryptocurrency community celebrate the victory, seeing it as a step towards a more equitable justice. 

On the other hand, the families of overdose victims denounce a decision they consider a dangerous precedent.

In the meantime, Ulbricht expressed gratitude through a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), managed by his wife:

“After more than 11 years of darkness, I can finally see the light of freedom at the end of the tunnel. Thank you, President Trump, for this second chance.” 

The release of Ulbricht opens a new chapter in a story that has profoundly marked the digital era. It remains to be seen how the former administrator of Silk Road will use this second opportunity in his life.