{
  "id": "case-ross-ulbricht-silkroad",
  "slug": "us-v-ross-ulbricht-silk-road",
  "title": "U.S. v. Ross Ulbricht (Dread Pirate Roberts / Silk Road)",
  "summary": "Historic trial and life sentencing of Ross William Ulbricht, creator and operator of Silk Road, the internet's first comprehensive darknet market using Tor and Bitcoin.",
  "case_number": "1:14-cr-00068",
  "court": "U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York",
  "district": "S.D.N.Y.",
  "country": "United States",
  "opened_at": "2014-02-04",
  "status": "sentenced",
  "victim_sector": "Public Safety, E-Commerce, Controlled Substances",
  "victim_country": "United States, Worldwide",
  "loss_amount_usd": 213000000,
  "loss_amount_note": "Generated $213 million in total sales and $13 million in commissions across 1.5 million transactions.",
  "first_seen_at": "2011-01-01T00:00:00Z",
  "last_updated_at": "2026-06-10T12:00:00Z",
  "actor_slug": "silk-road",
  "defendant_slugs": [
    "ross-ulbricht"
  ],
  "cves": [],
  "techniques": [
    {
      "technique_id": "T1090",
      "evidence_excerpt": "Ulbricht built Silk Road as a hidden service on the Tor network to conceal server IP addresses and protect buyer and seller anonymity.",
      "evidence_locator": "Indictment \u00b6 8, Page 4",
      "mapping_status": "reviewed",
      "mapped_by": "rule",
      "source_title": "Indictment: U.S. v. Ulbricht",
      "source_url": "https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ross-ulbricht-creator-and-operator-silk-road-website-sentenced-manhattan-federal-court",
      "technique_name": "Proxy",
      "tactic": "Command and Control"
    }
  ],
  "events": [
    {
      "event_type": "arrest",
      "event_date": "2013-10-01",
      "description": "Ulbricht arrested in the Glen Park branch of the San Francisco Public Library by FBI agents while logged into the Silk Road admin panel."
    },
    {
      "event_type": "verdict",
      "event_date": "2015-02-04",
      "description": "Jury finds Ulbricht guilty on all seven felony counts including narcotics conspiracy and computer hacking."
    },
    {
      "event_type": "sentencing",
      "event_date": "2015-05-29",
      "description": "Sentenced to two life terms of imprisonment plus 40 years without parole and ordered to forfeit $183 million."
    }
  ]
}