Kraken Donates $111,111 in Bitcoin to Ross Ulbricht After Pardon
Ross Ulbricht received significant support from the cryptocurrency community following his pardon by President Donald Trump. Key points include:
- Kraken donated $111,111 in Bitcoin to assist Ulbricht in rebuilding his life.
- The donation was made public on January 22, a day after his full pardon, ending over ten years of imprisonment for founding Silk Road.
- 93 donations totaling 2.5 BTC (over $250K) were sent to an address associated with Ulbricht via freeross.org.
- Ulbricht's arrest in 2013 was linked to Silk Road, where users traded goods and services anonymously using Bitcoin.
- His conviction included multiple charges, leading to two life terms plus 40 years without parole, deemed excessive by supporters.
- Approximately 430 BTC, worth about $47 million, remains untouched in wallets associated with Ulbricht.
- Future actions of Ulbricht remain unclear, with hopes he will advocate for internet privacy and crypto adoption.
Kraken’s gesture reflects broader sentiments within the crypto community, viewing Ulbricht as a symbol of Bitcoin's foundational ideals.