Trump A Man Of His Word, Says Ross Ulbricht After Pardon — Silk Road Creator's 'Lots To Talk About' Remark Fuels Curiosity

Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the illegal drug marketplace Silk Road, expressed gratitude on Thursday after being pardoned by President Donald Trump.

What happened: In his first public statement after being granted a full and unconditional pardon, Ulbricht called Trump "a man of his word."

"Thank you so much, President Trump, for giving me this amazing blessing," Ulbricht said in a video posted via his X account. "I am so, so grateful to have my life back, to have my future back, to have this second chance."

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Ulbricht, who was serving a double life sentence since 2013 for creating the darknet website, said this is an important moment for those who value freedom and believe in second chances.

On a curious note, Ulbricht stated that "there's a lot to talk about" and that he would start engaging with the free world soon.

Interestingly, wallets tied to Ulbricht still contain 430 BTC, worth more than $45 million, fueling speculation about their on-chain moves now that he is free.

Why It Matters: Earlier this week, Trump fulfilled his campaign promise by signing an executive order to liberate Ulbricht in honor of the Libertarian Movement.

The Silk Road website was a hub of the illegal trafficking of heroin, cocaine, LSD, and other substances, all paid for in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). It is estimated that the platform facilitated $1 billion worth of illicit transactions in the apex cryptocurrency.

Despite the nature of the crimes, Ulbricht was viewed as a champion of libertarian values, with his supporters criticizing the government for regulating the internet and tightening civil freedoms.

Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $104,930 up 2.78% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro. 

Image via Shutterstock

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