The allegations surrounding murders-for-hire were significant enough to deter the first Trump administration from granting clemency to Ulbricht. In 2020, the White House contemplated releasing Ulbricht but ultimately declined, influenced by the purported violent aspects of the case, as revealed by a former government official who requested anonymity while speaking to WIRED.
More recently, however, the Trump administration appears to have adjusted its perspective on Ulbricht’s situation—possibly due to its growing affinity with the libertarian cryptocurrency sphere, where Ulbricht has emerged as a symbol and a cause celebrated by supporters. At the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, DC, last May, Trump, who was campaigning for president at the time, pledged to commute Ulbricht’s sentence “on day one” if he regained office. (Nevertheless, the anticipated day one came and went without clemency for Ulbricht, even as Trump pardoned numerous individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Meanwhile, Trump supporter Elon Musk indicated in a post on X that “Ross will be freed too.”)
The specifics of Ulbricht’s potential role in society after his release remain uncertain. Even during his sentencing hearing in 2015, Ulbricht did not fully acknowledge the damage caused by the drug transactions facilitated by Silk Road. Furthermore, according to Jared Der-Yeghiayan, a former Homeland Security Investigations agent who infiltrated Silk Road for the investigation, Ulbricht continues to show minimal regret for his actions as reflected in his public posts on X.
“The prospect of his release doesn’t trouble me at all,” says Der-Yeghiayan, who is now the head of strategic intelligence at the cryptocurrency tracing company Chainalysis. “What concerns me is if there emerges a belief that he did nothing wrong; that fails to recognize the realities of the case.”
Conversely, some advocates for criminal justice reform have positioned Ulbricht as a prime example of excessive sentencing, particularly since he was charged with nonviolent offenses. “Ross has already served more than sufficient time. He has been an exemplary inmate. He’s a first-time, nonviolent offender and poses no threat to public safety,” stated Alice Johnson, CEO of the justice reform organization Taking Action for Good, in a November interview with WIRED. Johnson herself spent twenty years in prison for attempted possession with intent to distribute before Trump commuted her life sentence in 2018 and pardoned her in 2020. “I believe Ross’s case will help pave the way for many others who have unjustly received such harsh sentences to find their way home.”
On Tuesday evening, supporters of Ulbricht celebrated his newfound freedom and expressed their appreciation to Trump for his clemency. “Words cannot capture how thankful we are,” read a tweet from @Free_Ross, an account dedicated to advocating for Ulbricht for over a decade. “President Trump is a man of his word and he just saved Ross’s life. ROSS IS A FREE MAN!!!!!”
Additional reporting by Joel Khalili
