Ulbricht attributed his inspiration for creating the Silk Road marketplace to the novel, Alongside Night, and the works of Samuel Edward Konkin III. Ulbricht used the "Dread Pirate Roberts" username for Silk Road, although it is disputed whether he was the only one to use that account. While all bitcoin transactions were recorded in a public log called the blockchain, users who avoided linking their identities to their online "wallets" were able to conduct transactions with considerable anonymity. Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, was used for transactions on the site. By hosting his market as a Tor site, Ulbricht could conceal its IP address.
Silk Road ran on Tor, a network which implements protocols that encrypt data and routes internet traffic through intermediary servers that anonymize IP addresses before reaching a final destination. And that's what he wanted to create, so he thought it was the perfect name." Ulbricht alluded to Silk Road on his public LinkedIn page, where he discussed his wish to "use economic theory as a means to abolish the use of coercion and aggression amongst mankind," and claimed, "I am creating an economic simulation to give people a first-hand experience of what it would be like to live in a world without the systemic use of force." In his personal diary, he outlined his idea for a website "where people could buy anything anonymously, with no trail whatsoever that could lead back to them." Ulbricht's ex-girlfriend said, "I remember when he had the idea. Around this time, Ulbricht began planning Silk Road (initially he called it Underground Brokers). Palmertree, cofounder of Good Wagon Books with Ulbricht, eventually moved to Dallas, leaving Ulbricht to run the company by himself. Main article: Silk Road (marketplace) § Arrest and trial of Ross Ulbricht Creation and operation of Silk Road He eventually partnered with his friend Donny Palmertree to help build an online used book seller, Good Wagon Books. He tried day trading and started a video game company both ventures failed. Ulbricht graduated from Penn State in 2009 and returned to Austin. By the time Ulbricht graduated, he had become interested in libertarian economic theory he adhered to the political philosophy of Ludwig von Mises, supported Ron Paul, promoted agorism, and participated in college debates to discuss his economic views. He then attended Pennsylvania State University, where he was in a master's degree program in materials science and engineering and studied crystallography. Ulbricht attended the University of Texas at Dallas on a full academic scholarship, and graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in physics. He attended West Ridge Middle School and Westlake High School, both near Austin, graduating from high school in 2002. He was a Boy Scout, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. 3.2 Motion to vacate or reduce the sentence.3 Attempts to reverse the trial outcome.2.1 Creation and operation of Silk Road.He is currently incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 2017 and the U.S. In May 2015, he was sentenced to a double life sentence plus forty years without the possibility of parole. In February 2015, Ulbricht was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit computer hacking, conspiracy to traffic fraudulent identity documents, and conspiracy to traffic narcotics by means of the internet. One of Ulbricht's online pseudonyms was " Dread Pirate Roberts" after the fictional character in the novel The Princess Bride and its film adaptation. The site used Tor for anonymity and bitcoin as a currency and facilitated the sale of narcotics and other illegal sales. Ross William Ulbricht (born March 27, 1984) is an American who created and operated the darknet market website Silk Road from 2011 until his arrest in 2013.