Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder: A Dark Web Drama Unfolds
In a move that would make pirate legends proud, Donald Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the mastermind behind Silk Road. After serving 11 years, the “Dread Pirate Roberts” sails free, his life sentences vanished like a ship in the night. Trump cited government overreach, leaving Ulbricht to ponder his next treasure map.
Hot Take:
Well, it seems Santa Trump has come early, delivering a pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the mastermind behind the dark web’s now-defunct Amazon for illegal goodies, Silk Road. After 11 years in the clink, Ulbricht can now spend his time surfing the web legally, presumably with a VPN and a healthy dose of skepticism. It’s like a Netflix special waiting to happen: From ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ to ‘Dreadfully Pardonable Ross’. Let’s just hope he’s not planning a sequel.
Key Points:
- Donald Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road.
- Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 for narcotics and money-laundering conspiracy.
- Silk Road was shut down by the FBI in October 2013 after a lengthy investigation.
- Trump cited government overreach as a reason for the pardon.
- Silk Road’s drug market was estimated to earn $22M annually.