People supporting Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht’s efforts to reintegrate into society after more than 11 years in prison have opened their crypto wallets.
According to blockchain data, a wallet operated by the Free Ross campaign has received more than $270,000 worth of Bitcoin (BTC) for “Ross’s transition into his new life” since the Silk Road founder received a pardon from US President Donald Trump on Jan. 21.
Crypto exchange Kraken reported contributing $111,111 to the fund. An Ether (ETH) wallet also showed roughly $2,400 in donations, $900 in Solana (SOL), $200 in Cardano (ADA) and smaller amounts in BNB (BNB) and Dogecoin (DOGE).
Ross Ulbricht shortly after his release from prison. Source: Instagram
Before Ulbricht’s release from prison, the Free Ross campaign solicited donations ”related to securing his freedom or criminal justice reform.” It’s unclear how much the group raised before Jan. 21 or how the funds will be used now that the Silk Road founder likely no longer requires legal aid.
Related: Does Ross Ulbricht’s pardon change the narrative of Bitcoin as a crime tool?
Ulbricht created and operated the Silk Road darknet marketplace from 2011 until his arrest in 2013. He was convicted of several felonies, sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2015, and remained behind bars until Trump pardoned him on Jan. 21.
Since his release, Ulbricht has not appeared to have released a public statement to news outlets or posted to social media. However, filmmakers Blake J. Harris and Jonah Tulis reported they had interviewed the Silk Road founder several times and planned to release a documentary based on his story in 2025.
What will Ulbricht do now?
Originally from Austin, Texas, Ulbricht was in San Francisco before his 2013 arrest. His mother reportedly moved to Colorado to be able to visit him during one of his stays at a federal facility in the area.
Ulbricht’s financial status was also unclear. Cointelegraph reached out to the Free Ross project for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Much of the crypto in wallets associated with the Silk Road platform has already been seized by US authorities. Conor Grogan, a director of product strategy and business operations at Coinbase, said on X that Ulbricht could have access to as much as $47 million in BTC.
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