The Silk Road founder could be one of the world's richest people if he gets his bitcoin back from the U.S government.

Ulbricht could already be sitting on millions in Bitcoin, according to Conor Grogan, a director at the San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. Grogan noted that around 430 BTC—worth approximately $47 million—awaits untouched in wallets possibly linked to Ulbricht. These wallets have been dormant for over 13 years, he said.

Ulbricht's story has long been a lightning rod for discussions around sentencing reform, the ethics of decentralized platforms, and the role of government in

President Donald Trump granted a pardon to Silk Road marketplace founder Ross Ulbricht, a promise he made to the cryptocurrency industry during his campaign.

Bitcoin hit a new high as President Donald Trump made big moves after his inauguration—like freeing Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.

On Wednesday, the price of bitcoin jumped to more than $104,000, following Donald Trump’s announcement of a presidential pardon for Silk Road and bitcoin-libertarian folk hero Ross Ulbricht. The digital asset community also eagerly anticipated a flood of crypto executive orders that would overturn years of perceived regulatory slights.

Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht reportedly still has about $47 million in Bitcoin that was not seized by the US governement.

Coinbase director Conor Grogan says Bitcoin wallets left behind by Ross Ulbricht when he was imprisoned for his underground online marketplace Silk Road are still holding tens of millions of dollars worth of BTC.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison for running an underground online marketplace where drug dealers and others conducted more than $200 million in illicit trade using bitcoin.

Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 on charges related to his website, where users could buy and sell drugs and other illegal goods with bitcoin.

President Trump's decision to issue a pardon to Ulbricht came after ongoing pressure from his mother, and from Bitcoin-loving libertarians who regarded h