Ross Ulbricht is an American programmer and entrepreneur, best known as the creator and administrator of the underground online platform Silk Road. This website, which operated on the darknet from 2011 to 2013, allowed users to anonymously buy and sell goods, including drugs, using the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
In 2013, Ulbricht was arrested by the FBI and charged with creating and managing an illegal marketplace, money laundering, hacking activities, and other crimes. He was sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole.
His case sparked widespread debate about privacy rights, drug legalization, and the severity of sentencing.