Ross Ulbricht: First Interview Since Arrest, Silk Road Founder Appeals To Bitcoin Users

Ross Ulbricht, currently imprisoned over charges relating to the Silk Road dark web market, featured in a special pre-recorded interview at this years largest Bitcoin event: Bitcoin 2021. This was the first time Ulbricht spoke in public since his arrest in 2013 for his role in creating for what we now know to be the bedrock of dark web marketplaces; Silkroad Market. Ulbricht talked about his initial intentions for the dark web market and “appealed to the Bitcoin community to continue advocating for freedom.”

A long and hard road

Ulbricht describes his time in prison as “A long and hard road” thanking everyone who has stuck with him during his now 8 years and counting time on the inside. Ulbricht explained in a phone interview with Bitcoin magazine that he has seen incredible innovations in the field of blockchain technology and explained that the people who have pushed these innovations have shown inspiring courage to the public. Ulbricht explained that when he started Silk Road he had no expectation or knowledge about where Bitcoin would take the world, but over the years, he has become increasingly impressed with what the community has accomplished.

We are transforming the global economy. We have brought a taste of freedom and equality to far corners of the world. I know we can transform criminal justice, too.

Ulbricht explained in a phone interview from a maximum security federal prison, which premiered at this years Bitcoin 2021 conference

SilkRoad

Ulbricht was 26 years old when he first launched Silk Road. Because of it’s nature and it being the first real dark web market of its kind, Silk Road quickly became the leading platform for illegal and illicit products, services and transactions in the world. A mere 2 years later Ulbricht was arrested and convicted of money laundering, computer hacking and conspiracy to traffic illicit items and received a double life sentence plus forty years in prison.