Ross Ulbricht was tried in New York in 2015 over his operation of Silk Road. A jury returned guilty verdicts on seven counts; he was later sentenced to life imprisonment and pardoned in 2025.
Silk Road operates as an online marketplace using Tor and Bitcoin. Federal prosecutors later date its creation to January 2011.
Federal agents arrest Ross Ulbricht in San Francisco and seize his laptop.
A Manhattan federal indictment charges Ulbricht with narcotics conspiracy, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, computer-hacking conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy.
Prosecutors file a seven-count superseding indictment covering narcotics distribution, a continuing criminal enterprise, computer hacking, fraudulent identification documents and money laundering.
The prosecution and defense deliver opening statements in the Southern District of New York before Judge Katherine B. Forrest.
The government rests after reading a chat from Exhibit 229D. The defense begins its case by calling Karen Steib Arnold.
The jury hears closing arguments from prosecutor Serrin A. Turner and defense counsel Joshua Lewis Dratel, followed by Timothy Howard's prosecution rebuttal.
The jury finds Ulbricht guilty on all seven counts. The jurors confirm the verdict when polled.
Judge Katherine B. Forrest imposes life imprisonment. The court vacates the convictions on Counts 1 and 3 as lesser included offenses and sentences Ulbricht on the remaining five counts.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirms the district court's judgment, including the remaining convictions and life sentence.
President Donald Trump grants Ulbricht a full and unconditional pardon for the convictions in his New York federal case.