Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for running the Silk Road marketplace, which facilitated illicit transactions. While he was not convicted of direct harm, he was found guilty of enabling illegal activities.

Since his imprisonment, Ulbricht has expressed remorse, pursued education, and advocated for criminal justice reform. Trump previously promised to commute his sentence, a pledge he reiterated at the Libertarian National Convention in 2024.

On Polymarket, traders currently estimate a 94% chance that Trump will pardon Ulbricht within his first 100 days in office.