President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening said he issued a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark web Silk Road marketplace for illicit drugs.

Ulbricht, who was convicted of running an anonymous online drug marketplace, became a hero to crypto-holders everywhere. What does his pardon signal for the future of the technology?

Until, of course, in 2013 the Silk Road was shut down by FBI agents and Mr Ulbricht, then 29 years old, was arrested in the science-fiction section of a San Francisco public library. In 2015, after a four-week trial,

President Donald Trump has pardoned Ross William Ulbricht, who created the infamous dark web marketplace Silk Road and was serving a life sentence.

Ulbricht was given two life sentences, plus 40 years for running a site that allegedly facilitated $183m in drug sales.

US President Donald Trump says he has signed a full and unconditional pardon for Ross Ulbricht, who operated Silk Road, the dark web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold. Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 in New York in a narcotics and money-laundering conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison.

Ulbricht operated the anonymous digital marketplace known as Silk Road when law enforcement arrested him. The pardon fulfills a campaign pledge Trump made to Ulbricht's Libertarian supporters.

President Trump announced that he signed a full pardon for Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder who was sentenced to life in prison.

Ulbricht operated the anonymous digital marketplace known as Silk Road when law enforcement arrested him. The pardon fulfills a campaign pledge Trump made to Ulbricht's Libertarian supporters.

Hours after receiving a full pardon, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, convicted for running the notorious dark web marketplace, expressed gratitude to Donald Trump. Ulbricht hailed President Trump as 'a man of his word' after his release.

President Donald Trump has granted an unconditional pardon to the creator of the notorious dark web page Silk Road ... the 'scum' who prosecuted him. Ross Ulbricht, 40, was arrested in 2013 ...