Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road darknet marketplace, was pardoned by President Donald Trump after serving 12 years of a double life sentence plus 40 years. Advocates, including Ulbricht’s family and prominent figures in the cryptocurrency community, argued that his punishment was excessively harsh compared to other participants. The Silk Road, operational from 2011 to 2013, facilitated over $200 million in transactions, significantly contributing to Bitcoin’s early adoption despite its illicit activities.
read moreAmir Taaki
0 posts last weekTrump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht After 12 Years in Prison
President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road creator, who has served 12 years of a 40-year sentence. Trump described Ulbricht’s punishment as “ridiculous” and acknowledged the support from the Libertarian Movement. Advocates for Ulbricht’s release, including members of the crypto community, argue that he played a significant role in Bitcoin’s early adoption and did not deserve life in prison for his involvement in the marketplace.
read moreDarkIRC Launches as Strongest Anonymous Chat Amid Privacy Concerns
DarkIRC, a new anonymous chat platform, aims to protect users from censorship and identity tracking, allowing for free speech without persistent identifiers. This initiative comes amid heightened scrutiny of privacy and data-sharing practices, particularly following Telegram’s recent policy changes after its CEO’s arrest. The platform’s development reflects a growing concern over the legal repercussions faced by developers of privacy-focused technologies, as seen in the cases of Tornado Cash developers.
read moreAssangeDAO Spends $37 Million on Legal Defense and Campaigning
AssangeDAO members have spent $37 million from a cryptocurrency fund to support Julian Assange’s legal defense and campaigning efforts. The fund, administered by the Wau Holland Foundation, was raised through tokenized NFTs and crowdsourced from onchain and cypherpunk communities. The initiative aims to provide financial support for Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been imprisoned since April 2019.
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