Trump Pardoned 3 Crypto Felons In 10 Months—Here’s What Each One Cost
President Donald Trump pardoned three high-profile crypto figures between January and October 2025, triggering allegations that personal financial ties influenced executive clemency decisions.
Ross Ulbricht: The Silk Road Founder
Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht on Jan. 21, 2025, freeing the creator of the Silk Road marketplace after more than a decade behind bars.
Ulbricht had been serving a double life sentence since 2013 for operating an online marketplace that prosecutors said facilitated roughly $1 billion in illegal transactions involving drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, largely settled in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).
Trump announced the pardon on Truth Social, saying he personally called Ulbricht’s mother and credited support from libertarian voters.
He described those involved in Ulbricht’s prosecution as having “weaponized the government.”
Following the pardon, Ulbricht publicly praised Trump as “a man of his word.”
Blockchain analysis later showed wallets linked to Ulbricht still held about 430 BTC, valued at more than $45 million at …
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