- Elon Musk confirmed that Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht will be pardoned by Donald Trump.
- Libertarian chair Angela McArdle stated the pardon will be issued within the next 24 hours.
- The cryptocurrency community debates the impact on regulation and criminal justice reform.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has indicated that Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht will be released from prison through a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. The confirmation came through Musk’s response to a social media post, stating simply, “Ross will be freed too,” marking 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.
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Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), provided additional confirmation of the imminent release. “Pres. Trump’s staff just confirmed to me Ross’s pardon will be issued late tonight or tomorrow morning,” McArdle posted on the X platform. 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. According to his own X post from May 2024, 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 the distinction between commutation and pardon 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. Despite industry hopes for a crypto executive order on Trump’s first day in office, no such action has materialized yet.
The timing of the announcement is particularly noteworthy, coming during Trump’s first days back in the White House. Musk’s involvement in confirming the news adds another layer of puzzle to the announcement. As a prominent figure in both technology and cryptocurrency spaces, his statement has lent additional credibility to the reports of Ulbricht’s impending release.
