Ross Ulbricht, the imprisoned founder of Silk Road, expressed gratitude towards former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. Ulbricht thanked Trump for his promise to commute his sentence "on day one" if Trump were reelected.

"After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment. It is thanks to your undying support that I may get a second chance," Ulbricht added.

Trump made this pledge during a speech at the Libertarian Party's national convention in Washington DC on Saturday. Despite facing criticism during his speech, Trump's announcement regarding Ulbricht's potential release received widespread approval and cheers from the crowd. Many attendees displayed "Free Ross" signs and chanted "Free Ross!"

Trump also emphasized his support for the crypto industry, pledging to ensure that the future of cryptocurrency would be "made in the USA." He backed self-custody and promised to protect bitcoin from regulatory challenges, mentioning Elizabeth Warren specifically.

Although Trump had reportedly considered pardoning Ulbricht during his presidency, he did not grant Ulbricht clemency before leaving office.

Ulbricht is currently serving a life sentence without parole for his involvement in creating and operating Silk Road, a dark web marketplace known for facilitating illegal transactions using Bitcoin.