U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison for running an underground online marketplace where drug dealers and others conducted more than $200 million in illicit trade using bitcoin.

In a move that has sparked debate, President Donald Trump granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, who had been serving two life sentences plus 40 years for enabling the illegal trade of drugs and other illicit goods. People using his site traded in bitcoin to avoid detection.

Law enforcement said Ulbricht created the “most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace” on the internet.

Looking exhausted and relieved, the Silk Road founder said his release feels "amazing"—and that he now plans to spend time with his family.

Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht has spoken out for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned him earlier this week.

Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht shares gratitude for Trump’s pardon after serving 11 years of a life sentence.

In 2015, a 31-year-old yoga enthusiast from Austin named Ross Ulbricht was found guilty of being the online drug kingpin “Dread Pirate Roberts.” Convicted on 7 counts, the judge sentenced him to life in prison. Trump pardoned Ulbricht on Tuesday and now he’s a free man after more than 10 years in custody.

Fulfilling a campaign promise to libertarians and the bitcoin community, the Silk Road founder's life sentence without parole is now over.

"Every day I confront a bill that wants to ban another Chinese company," the Kentucky senator tells Reason.

That roped Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsay Graham into the heated back and forth, who impressed on Vought that he did not have attorney-client privilege to evade a line of questioning as some of Trump’s other nominees did. “I am not claiming a privilege, Senator,” Vought said.

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark website 'Silk Road,' broke his silence on President Donald Trump's decision to pardon him from a life sentence.