Ross William Ulbricht is an American who created and operated the darknet market website Silk Road from 2011 until his arrest in 2013. The site used Tor for anonymity and bitcoin as a currency and facilitated the sale of narcotics and other illegal sales. One of Ulbricht's online pseudonyms was "Dread Pirate Roberts" after the fictional character in the novel The Princess Bride and its film adaptation.
“What becomes of the cages when we are no longer willing to hurt one another?”Oil on canvas created in prison.
"It started with Bitcoin, and before it’s done, it will connect us all. Crypto is human. Here is block 5. The genesis blocks through block 4 and beyond block 7 will come in time." Oil on canvas created in prison
Oil on canvas created in prison
Oil on canvas created in prison
“My future died that day in court when I was sentenced to life without parole. When I got back to the federal detention center, I did not go straight to my cell block as usual. This time, I was interviewed first to judge whether I was suicidal. I wasn’t, and thankfully, I convinced them I wasn’t, or I would have spent a few days in one of the dreaded “suicide watch” cells. I understand why they did that though. Lots of lifers are suicidal. There is no parole in the federal system, so life means your whole life. It is the same as a death sentence. It just takes longer.” Oil on canvas created in prison
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison, with accompanying poem. Drawn during the grueling 2020 year of coronavirus lockdown
From the light of freedom to a concrete tomb, The fall was great and swift. My soul cried out in a mighty boom, How could it come to this?
Clamped down, trapped stuck, Paralyzed in a tiny cage. Had fate left me not a drop of luck? Was there reason for this rage?
Told to lay down and die, Something deep inside me stirred. I can’t be caged I have to fly! Not yet am I interred.
They can take my body, tie me down, It matters not a bit. My spirit still runs wild and free, So in freedom here I sit.
