Founder of the Silk Road dark-web marketplace
Ross Ulbricht
a.k.a. “Dread Pirate Roberts”
He ran the Silk Road, a dark-web marketplace for drugs and fake IDs, and was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years with no parole. In May 2024, Trump promised the Libertarian National Convention he would free him on Day One. He did it on Day Two.
Rap sheet
- Convicted of
- Distributing drugs over the internet; continuing criminal enterprise; computer hacking conspiracy; fraud with ID documents; money laundering conspiracy [1]
- Court
- Southern District of New York [1]
- Sentenced
- May 29, 2015: two life terms plus 40 years, no parole. Ordered to forfeit $183,961,921. [3]
- Granted
- Full and unconditional pardon, January 21, 2025 [2]
The receipt
Gold is money that was reportedly spent near the President’s orbit. Red is what the grant wiped away. We list what was reported and when. We don’t claim one caused the other. How we count.
Timeline
Detective’s notes
CommentaryThis one wasn’t paid for in dollars. It was paid for in votes, at a convention, in public. Say what you want about the others, this was the only openly advertised price.