In a strong assertion towards unjust sentencing, Moms Towards Merciless Sentencing (MACS), a nonprofit based by Lyn Ulbricht, formally launched at the moment on the 2025 Bitcoin convention. The group is devoted to advocating for prisoners serving extreme and inhumane sentences and supporting the households affected by such punishments.
MACS seeks to unite voices from throughout the political divide and tech group to drive significant reform in sentencing legal guidelines.
“A number of 1000’s of individuals, a lot of them nonviolent like Ross, are serving excessive sentences—locked away for years, many years, even lifetimes,” stated Ulbricht. “MACS goals to present households a voice to push for honest and affordable sentencing, the place the punishment suits the crime.”
Ulbricht will formally introduce the group throughout the Ladies of Bitcoin Brunch, a significant occasion on the convention that gathers influential ladies from the Bitcoin world to debate advocacy, innovation, and affect.
Ross Ulbricht’s Journey: From Life Sentence to Presidential Pardon
Ross Ulbricht turned a controversial determine after launching Silk Street in 2011, a web based market that used Bitcoin for nameless transactions. Whereas the positioning was sadly used for promoting unlawful medicine, it additionally served as Bitcoin’s first real-world use case, showcasing the facility of decentralized, censorship-resistant cash.
In 2015, Ulbricht was sentenced to double life imprisonment with out the potential of parole. His punishment rapidly turned a logo of presidency overreach for a lot of within the tech and the Bitcoin world. Critics argued that his sentence far exceeded the boundaries of justice, particularly contemplating the nonviolent nature of his crimes.
His pardon, announced shortly after Trump returned to workplace, is seen as a robust transfer to honor marketing campaign guarantees and help Bitcoin’s values of non-public freedom and resistance to authorities overreach. It sparked celebration all through the Bitcoin group but additionally reminded advocates that the struggle for justice is way from over.
The Bitcoin group continues to name for clemency and help for others, together with the builders of Samourai Pockets who’re going through prosecution for creating privateness instruments, and Edward Snowden, who stays in exile for revealing authorities surveillance packages.
Ross might be giving the keynotes speech on the 2025 Bitcoin Convention on Might twenty ninth at 8pm EST. You’ll be able to watch his speech stay here.
