The former president of the United States and candidate in the upcoming elections promises to pardon the founder of Silk Road, Ross Ulbricht, if he is re-elected.
On May 25th, Donald J. Trump announced that, if re-elected as president, he will pardon and release Ross Ulbricht immediately after 11 years of imprisonment. The announcement was made during a speech at the Libertarian National Convention held in Washington, D.C.
Trump stated:
“If you vote for me, on Day 1, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served.”
In 2015, Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison for creating and operating Silk Road, a darknet marketplace used for anonymous buying and selling of goods where transactions occurred in bitcoin.
Already in 2018, the Libertarian Party had asked then-President Trump to grant clemency to Ulbricht.
Support for cryptocurrencies
In addition to promising the release of Ross Ulbricht, Trump has confirmed that he will work to halt the development of a potential CBDC by the Federal Reserve. He also emphasized his support for the right to self-custody of digital assets, criticizing the current administration for its restrictive policies.
During the speech, Trump declared:
“I will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of bitcoin will be made in the USA.”
“I will support the right to self custody to the nation’s fifty million crypto holders.”
Finally, Trump has stated that he will keep figures like Elizabeth Warren, a well-known opponent of the sector, away from the cryptocurrency industry. In recent months, Trump has shown support for cryptocurrencies and has even started accepting donations in cryptocurrencies for his election campaign.
