Dark Web Creator Petitions President Trump for Clemency
Somewhat analogous to Star Wars’ young Aniken Skywalker’s journey to the Dark Side of The Force, Ulbricht’s Silk Road moved to the Dark Web. Silk Road quickly became a virtual hotspot for selling all manner of illegal goods, including narcotics, fake passports, and credit card information.
During Silk Road’s short-lived tenure between 2011 and 2013, it reputedly became the world’s largest virtual black-market economy. Paying for the illicit items available on Silk Road was accomplished through Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency. Ulbricht had reportedly made more than $100 million by the time he was arrested in 2013.
As Ulbricht’s 2015 trial for money laundering, conspiracy, and computer hacking progressed, allegations of six murder-for-hire plots were brought up. During final arguments, the prosecutor told the jury none of the alleged contract murders ever happened. Why then bring unadjudicated offenses before a petit jury to support the charged offenses that culminated in two life-without-parole and one 40-year sentence?
Ross’ parents, Lyn and Kirk Ulbricht have initiated a clemency petition drive, requesting President Trump to deliver their son from what is effectively a death by incarceration sentence. They have gained support from over 250 organizations and prominent individuals, from the right to the left of the political spectrum.
His online clemency petition had garnered over 340,000 signatures as of early August, but as of publication, President Trump has not acted.
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