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Elon Musk Confirms Presidential Pardon for Silk Road Founder
Cryptotale Staff January 21, 2025 Last Updated: January 21, 2025 1 minute read Share Facebook X LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Telegram Share via Email
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, will be granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump. In response to a social media post, Musk simply stated, “Ross will be freed too,” indicating a potential end to Ulbricht’s 11-year imprisonment.
The development follows Trump’s campaign promise made last year, where he declared, “If you vote for me, on day one, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht.” The statement generated attention within the cryptocurrency community, given Ulbricht’s influential role in the early days of cryptocurrency adoption through the Silk Road marketplace.
Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), further confirmed the news by posting on X platform that “Pres. Trump’s staff just confirmed to me Ross’s pardon will be issued late tonight or tomorrow morning.”
The announcement has sparked discussions about the implications for cryptocurrency regulation and criminal justice reform. The exact nature of Ulbricht’s release remains a subject of speculation, as his own post from May 2024 suggested that Trump planned to “commute” his sentence, which would reduce the prison term rather than provide complete forgiveness through a full pardon. Legal experts note that this distinction could have significant implications for Ulbricht’s future rights and opportunities.
The crypto community’s reaction to this development has been mixed, particularly as it coincides with expectations of broader cryptocurrency policy changes.
Source: cryptotale.org
