A $31 million Bitcoin donation to Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht may have come from former 'darknet' marketplace AlphaBay, according to Chainalysis.

  • Published In: Fortune.com, 2025. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: McGrath, Catherine 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the recent anonymous donation of 300 Bitcoins, valued at approximately $31 million, to Ross Ulbricht, the former founder of the Silk Road, a notorious online drug trafficking site. Crypto investigation firm Chainalysis suspects that the donation may have originated from someone associated with AlphaBay, another significant darknet marketplace that operated from 2014 to 2017 and briefly resurfaced from 2021 to 2023. The motivations behind the donation remain unclear, with experts suggesting that it could stem from admiration, gratitude, or remorse. Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison for various crimes, was pardoned by former President Trump in January 2021 after nearly 11 years of incarceration. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Fortune.com. 2025/06, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2025
  • Accession Number:185789012
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