In a strong assertion in opposition to 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, a long time, even lifetimes,” mentioned Ulbricht. “MACS goals to present households a voice to push for truthful and cheap sentencing, the place the punishment matches the crime.”
Ulbricht will formally introduce the group through the Ladies of Bitcoin Brunch, a significant occasion on the convention that gathers influential girls from the Bitcoin world to debate advocacy, innovation, and influence.
Ross Ulbricht’s Journey: From Life Sentence to Presidential Pardon
Ross Ulbricht grew to become a controversial determine after launching Silk Highway in 2011, a web-based market that used Bitcoin for nameless transactions. Whereas the location 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 opportunity of parole. His punishment rapidly grew to become 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, introduced shortly after Trump returned to workplace, is seen as a powerful 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 combat 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 dealing with prosecution for creating privateness instruments, and Edward Snowden, who stays in exile for revealing authorities surveillance packages.
Ross will likely 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 reside right here.
