Elon Musk Claims Ross Ulbricht Will Be Granted Presidential Pardon
Elon Musk has sparked speculation regarding a potential presidential pardon for Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road. On January 21, 2025, Musk stated on X that “Ross will be freed too,” igniting hopes among Ulbricht’s supporters.
Trump's Campaign Promise
- During his May 2024 campaign, Donald Trump pledged to commute Ulbricht's sentence on his first day in office.
- Trump said he would reduce Ulbricht’s sentence to time served, noting he had already spent 11 years in prison.
- No official pardon was issued on Inauguration Day, but confirmation from Trump's staff indicated it might occur shortly after.
Pres. Trump's staff just confirmed to me Ross's pardon will be issued late tonight or tomorrow morning. ❤️
— Angela McArdle (@angela4LNCChair) January 21, 2025
Ross Ulbricht, known as “Dread Pirate Roberts,” founded Silk Road in 2011, facilitating the sale of illicit goods using Bitcoin. He was arrested in October 2013 and sentenced to life in prison in May 2015 following his conviction on multiple charges.
Controversy and Advocacy for Pardon
- Ulbricht's sentencing has drawn criticism for being excessively harsh compared to similar cases.
- Supporters argue he was unfairly punished as a first-time, non-violent offender.
- Prediction markets show a high probability of a pardon, with 99% of participants believing it will happen within Trump's first 100 days in office.
- Bettors also speculate on a potential pardon for Roger Ver, assigning a 32% probability for clemency within the same period.
A Presidency Pardon
As the crypto community awaits news on Ulbricht’s situation, President Trump has already issued an executive order granting clemency to 1,500 individuals related to events at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.