Ross Ulbricht Pardon Expected Within 48 Hours, Trump Staff Confirms

• Elon Musk and Angela McArdle confirm Ross Ulbricht’s pardon is imminent within 24-48 hours
• Trump promised during his campaign to commute Ulbricht’s sentence on “Day 1”
• Polymarket bettors give 99% chance of Ulbricht pardon within first 100 days
• No crypto executive orders issued on inauguration day despite campaign promises
• TRUMP and MELANIA meme coins dropped 40% and 60% respectively post-inauguration

Former Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht appears to be on the verge of release from prison after serving 11 years of his life sentence. Multiple sources close to President Donald Trump’s administration have indicated that a presidential pardon or sentence commutation could come within the next two days.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a close associate of the Trump team, posted confirmation on the X platform stating simply, “Ross will be freed too.”

This statement aligns with earlier messages from Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, who announced that Trump’s staff confirmed to her that Ulbricht’s pardon would be issued “late tonight or tomorrow morning.”

Ross will be freed too

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2025

The potential release follows Trump’s campaign promise made at the Libertarian National Convention in May 2024, where he stated, “If you vote for me, on Day 1, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht.” Ulbricht has been serving time since his 2015 conviction for his role in creating and operating the Silk Road marketplace.

Betting markets have responded strongly to these developments. Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform, shows bettors giving a 99% probability that Trump will pardon Ulbricht within the first 100 days of his second administration.

The exact nature of Ulbricht’s release remains unclear. Trump’s original campaign promise mentioned commuting the sentence, which would reduce the prison term but not fully pardon the conviction. However, recent communications have used the term “pardon,” which would represent complete forgiveness of the federal crimes.

Ulbricht’s supporters have long argued that his life sentence without the possibility of parole was excessive for the nature of his crimes. His case has become a rallying point for criminal justice reform advocates and cryptocurrency supporters alike.

The crypto markets have shown mixed reactions to the inauguration and its aftermath. The Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin experienced a 40% decline, dropping to $32. Similarly, the Official Melania Meme (MELANIA) token fell by 60% following its launch.

Notable crypto industry figures have expressed varied responses to the developments. Crypto analyst Miles Deutscher urged patience regarding broader crypto policy changes, noting that while immediate executive orders weren’t issued, positive developments around Ulbricht’s pardon and potential banking regulations for digital assets are in progress.

Mark Cuban, the billionaire investor, has criticized the launch of Trump-related meme coins, expressing concern about their impact on cryptocurrency market credibility and potential regulatory implications.

The prediction markets also show varying confidence levels for other crypto-related pardons and policy changes. Polymarket indicates a 32% chance that Roger Ver, an early Bitcoin investor facing tax fraud charges, might receive a pardon within the first 100 days.

Despite crypto playing a major role in Trump’s campaign messaging, executive orders regarding digital assets have not materialized in the initial batch of presidential actions. Prediction markets currently show a 43% chance of a crypto-focused executive order being issued in the first week.

The LNC’s Angela McArdle has maintained regular communications about the situation, posting updates on the X platform about the timing of the expected pardon announcement.

Industry observers are closely monitoring the White House for official confirmation of Ulbricht’s release status, which could come at any moment according to inside sources.

Trump’s inauguration speech notably lacked any mention of cryptocurrency or digital assets, despite their prominence in his campaign platform.

The timing of potential pardons and policy changes remains fluid, with some supporters expressing disappointment at the lack of immediate action while others counsel patience for the administration to implement its agenda.