Trump Sets Silk Road Founder Free

In a surprising move, President Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the brains behind the darknet market Silk Road. This happened on the second day of his second term, proving he meant what he said at the Libertarian Party's convention. The pardon is a big deal for crypto fans and libertarians, who have been fighting for Ulbricht's release for years. Trump shared the news on social media, mentioning Ulbricht's mother and the libertarian movement that backed him. He felt Ulbricht's sentence of two life terms plus 40 years was too harsh. Ulbricht, 40, was found guilty in 2015 for running Silk Road, an online black market for drugs and other illegal products bought with cryptocurrency. When he was arrested, bitcoin was worth about $130. Today, it's over $100, 000. Some people think his sentence was too tough since he wasn't charged with violence. A pardon is different from a commutation. A pardon removes the conviction, while a commutation just reduces the punishment. Angela McArdle, chairwoman of the Libertarian National Committee, praised Trump's action, calling it historic. She thanked Trump for keeping his promise and invited Ulbricht to join the Libertarian Party as an honorary lifetime member. Ulbricht used the nickname "Dread Pirate Roberts" when he set up Silk Road, inspired by libertarian economic ideas. The platform was one of the first big uses of bitcoin, which has grown a lot since then.