US President Donald Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road, after he spent over 12 years in prison. Ulbricht, arrested in 2013 at 29, was sentenced without parole for his involvement in the operation of the Silk Road, a darknet marketplace. Trump's commitment to Ulbricht's release gained traction during his presidency, particularly from Bitcoin supporters who viewed Ulbricht as pivotal in Bitcoin's early adoption, despite the platform's illegal activities. Advocates argued that he should not serve a life sentence for facilitating a marketplace that allowed for the exchange of both legal and illicit goods. Ulbricht has maintained that he was not the sole creator of the Silk Road and credited previous developers with laying the groundwork. His case continues to spark debates within the crypto community about freedom and the moral implications of his contributions to the Bitcoin ecosystem. While Ulbricht's actions were controversial, supporters consider him a 'Bitcoin legend' who aided in the cryptocurrency's rise to prominence.

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