Coinbase Product Director Conor Grogan uncovered 430 BTC spread across multiple wallets, tied to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road. Unlike the 174,000 BTC confiscated by the US government, these assets have remained dormant for 13 years, now valued at approximately $47 million.
Ulbricht's release was celebrated after former President Trump issued a pardon, fulfilling a campaign promise. Ulbricht's case drew significant attention, with over 250 organizations supporting his release. Influential figures like Tim Draper and Elon Musk considered his sentence too harsh.
Bitcoin's community welcomed Ulbricht's freedom eagerly, with Jack Mallers launching merchandise to support him, and Kraken donating $111,111 in Bitcoin. The liberation activated hopes of Trump's fulfillment of other crypto-related promises, such as forming a strategic Bitcoin reserve for the US.