Home Australia Inside story of how ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ – the creator of notorious dark web site the Silk Road – ‘lived a double life in BONDI’ – before he was locked up in America for TWO life terms… and now Donald Trump’s pardoned him

Inside story of how ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ – the creator of notorious dark web site the Silk Road – ‘lived a double life in BONDI’ – before he was locked up in America for TWO life terms… and now Donald Trump’s pardoned him

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Ross Ulbricht (pictured right), 40, was arrested in 2013 because the dark website he founded facilitated the sale of illicit drugs using cryptocurrency.

President Donald Trump has granted an unconditional pardon to the creator of the famous Silk Road website, who partially developed the dark website while living in Bondi more than ten years ago.

Ross Ulbricht, 40, was arrested in 2013 because the dark website he founded facilitated the sale of illicit drugs using cryptocurrency.

According to documents filed in the Southern District Court of New York, Ulbricht created the site – described by FBI prosecutors as “the most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the Internet today” – in January 2011 and ran it until late September 2013. when he was detained by the police.

The timing places him in Sydney during the early stages of the site, and a local friend says he spent about six months in the city in 2011, during which he lived in a shared house on Bondi Beach.

A Sydney colleague previously said he was “absolutely stunned” to learn of Ulbricht’s double life.

“He’s the nicest guy,” the friend said. ‘He said he was a programmer who consulted on projects and could do it from anywhere on the road with laptops. I’m totally exhausted.

In early 2015 Ulbricht was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering and computer hacking, operating under the pseudonym ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’.

“Make no mistake: Ulbricht was a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited people’s addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young men,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said after Ulbricht’s sentencing.

Ross Ulbricht (pictured right), 40, was arrested in 2013 because the dark website he founded facilitated the sale of illicit drugs using cryptocurrency.

According to documents filed in the Southern District Court of New York, Ulbricht established the site in January 2011 and managed it until the end of September 2013.

According to documents filed in the Southern District Court of New York, Ulbricht established the site in January 2011 and managed it until the end of September 2013.

While Ulbricht's pardon was not one of the many tasks Trump completed on Monday, he revealed Tuesday night that Ulbricht had been granted a

While Ulbricht’s pardon was not one of the many tasks Trump completed on Monday, he revealed Tuesday night that Ulbricht had been granted a “full and unconditional pardon.”

During the election campaign, Trump promised to commute Ulbricht’s sentence “on day one” if he was re-elected, garnering enormous support from the convicted criminal’s loved ones and supporters.

And while Ulbricht’s pardon was not one of the many tasks Trump completed on Monday, the president revealed Tuesday night that Ulbricht had been granted a “full and unconditional pardon.”

‘I just called Ross William Ulbright’s (sic) mother to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have signed a full and unconditional pardon for her son. Ross,” Trump revealed on TruthSocial.

‘The scum who worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern use of the government as a weapon against me.

‘They sentenced him to two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!’

Prosecutors had described Silk Road as an unprecedented online trading center where the supply of drugs was virtually unlimited.

In his 2015 sentencing, the judge cited six deaths from drugs purchased at the Ulbricht site and five people he attempted to kill. Ulbricht then said he was a changed man.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ulbricht’s clemency lawyer said he remained hopeful that Trump would follow through on his promise to commute the sentence.

In early 2015 he was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering and computer hacking, operating under the pseudonym 'Dread Pirate Roberts'.

In early 2015 he was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering and computer hacking, operating under the pseudonym ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’.

Trump promised at a rally with Libertarians in May that he would commute Ulbricht's sentence, drawing applause from an otherwise distrustful crowd.

Trump promised at a rally with Libertarians in May that he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence, drawing applause from an otherwise distrustful crowd.

Ulbricht shared an update on X the next day, revealing that he was aware of the engagement and was encouraged by it.

Ulbricht shared an update on X the next day, revealing that he was aware of the engagement and was encouraged by it.

Members of the Libertarian Party stand on chairs as they chant and demand the release of Ross Ulbricht.

Members of the Libertarian Party stand on chairs as they chant and demand the release of Ross Ulbricht.

‘We hope that President Trump grants clemency. “The president, when he was a candidate, said he would release Ross on his first day in office,” he said.

“We have no doubt that the president will follow through on his commitment to free Ross. Ross, his family, and all of his supporters will be eternally grateful to President Trump for his willingness to show mercy to Ross.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) had previously sent a letter to Trump noting that Ulbricht’s sentence was “grossly disproportionate to his crimes,” adding that “the worst drug dealers at the site received significantly longer sentences.” indulgent.”

Trump promised at a rally with Libertarians in May that he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence, drawing applause from an otherwise distrustful crowd.

Ulbricht shared an update on X the next day, revealing that he was aware of the engagement and was encouraged by it.

“Last night, Donald Trump promised to commute my sentence on the first day, if he was re-elected,” he wrote.

‘Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. After 11 years in prison, it’s hard to express what I feel right now. Thanks to your unconditional support I can have a second chance.’

Ulbricht partially developed Silk Road while living in Bondi in Sydney, Australia (pictured)

Ulbricht partially developed Silk Road while living in Bondi in Sydney, Australia (pictured)

Ulbricht had previously maintained that he had no intention of his website becoming what it eventually became.

He never sold illicit substances, despite having been convicted of drug trafficking.

“He was trying to help us move toward a more free and equitable world,” Ulbricht said from prison in 2021.

‘We all know that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and now here I am. I’m in hell.’

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