Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road, has been granted a full and unconditional presidential pardon by Donald Trump. Ulbricht had been in federal prison since 2015 for his involvement in operating the illicit online marketplace that facilitated drug and firearms deals with bitcoin as the primary payment method. Trump had promised to pardon Ulbricht on his first day in office, and the announcement finally came on January 21 via Trump's social media platform Truth Social. The pardon absolves Ulbricht of federal guilt for his previously convicted actions and terminates his punishment. It remains unclear how much bitcoin Ulbricht retains, as the FBI had previously seized a significant amount. Ross Ulbricht's senior advisor, Roger Thomas Clark, who played a prominent role in Silk Road, has not received a presidential pardon and is still serving his prison sentence.



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