According to a report from The Daily Beast published on Dec. 15, President Trump is considering issuing a pardon to Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.

• Sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that the White House counsel’s office was reviewing Ulbricht’s case, with Trump being made aware of the situation
• Ulbricht’s family has been making strong pleas for his release, and influential figures have also backed a pardon, including criminal reform advocates
• Ulbricht founded Silk Road in 2011, the darknet marketplace quickly became a popular use case for Bitcoin
• Charged with computer fraud, money laundering, and drug charges, Ulbricht received a life sentence for non-violent offences, which many deemed too harsh
•  Support for his release has picked up in recent years and his story will also be the subject of an upcoming film slated for release in 2021