Donald Trump Pledged Presidential Pardon for Silk Road Founder
Two days ago, while speaking at the Libertarian Party’s National Convention in Washington, former U.S. President Donald Trump promised to grant Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht a presidential pardon if he wins this year’s presidential election scheduled for November 4.
“If you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbircht… He’s already served 11 years, we’re going to get him home,” said Donald Trump.
Ulbircht created Silk Road, which is known as the first contemporary darknet market with a payment system built on BTC. He established the darknet market in 2011, running and operating it from his personal laptop up until when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized it on October 1, 2013.
He appeared before a federal court in the U.S. based on several charges associated with operating the darknet market, prompting conviction. The court sentenced Ulbircht to two life terms plus 40 years, without potential parole.
Likewise, Trump, who previously called Bitcoin a scam during his tenure as president, talked about his stance on cryptocurrency as he is now supporting the development of the crypto industry in the U.S. “I will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of Bitcoin will be made in the USA, not driven overseas,” said Trump.
He pledged protection for people choosing to hold their crypto assets outside centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. “I will support the right to self-custody, to the nation’s 50 million crypto holders, I say this with your vote, I will keep Elizabeth Warren and her goons away from your Bitcoin,” said Trump.