TL;DR
- Kraken donates $111,111 in Bitcoin to Ross Ulbricht following his pardon by President Trump, aiding his reintegration into society.
- Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road, was granted a full pardon after serving 12 years of a double life sentence for nonviolent offenses.
- The donation has inspired additional contributions, with Ulbricht’s remaining wallets containing approximately 430 BTC, worth around $47 million.
Kraken, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, announced a significant donation of $111,111 in Bitcoin to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous Silk Road marketplace. This donation follows Ulbricht’s recent pardon by U.S. President Donald Trump, marking a pivotal moment in Ulbricht’s journey towards reintegration into society. The funds were sent to an address listed on freeross.org, a website dedicated to supporting Ulbricht’s cause.
Ulbricht’s Pardon and Release
President Trump granted Ulbricht a full and unconditional pardon on his second day in office, fulfilling a key campaign promise. Ulbricht, who was arrested in October 2013, had served 12 years of his sentence before being granted the pardon. He had been sentenced to double life imprisonment without parole, along with an additional 40 years—a punishment widely criticized as excessive for nonviolent offenses.
The pardon was announced by President Trump through a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he expressed his pleasure in granting the pardon in honor of Ulbricht’s mother and the Libertarian Movement.
Community Support and Future Prospects
Kraken’s donation is part of a broader effort by the crypto community to support Ulbricht’s reintegration. In a post on X, Kraken emphasized the importance of community support, stating:
“All of us at Kraken want to make sure that after what you’ve been through, you’re able to land on your feet with the support of the community that loves you most, the Bitcoin community.”
The donation has already inspired additional contributions, with the account balance growing to 2.57 BTC, worth around $263,000.
Ulbricht’s Untouched Bitcoin Holdings
On-chain researcher Conor Grogan revealed that Ulbricht’s remaining wallets, not seized by the U.S. government, contain approximately 430 BTC, worth around $47 million at current prices.
These wallets have been untouched for over 13 years, and it remains uncertain whether Ulbricht still possesses the keys required to access them. Grogan expressed skepticism but noted that the cryptocurrency in those wallets might soon show activity now that Ulbricht has regained his freedom.
