Tim Draper Calls for Ross Ulbricht’s Release: ‘We Need Entrepreneurs Like That Guy!’

One of the most successful investors in the world is calling for the release of convicted criminal Ross Ulbricht.

Following up on a September 21 tweet by Tim Draper that was completely sympathetic to the imprisoned Silk Road creator, Fred Schebesta of the Crypto Finder video podcast took a moment to ask the billionaire his latest feelings on the matter. Draper gave an effusive response:

Free Ross, baby! Get him out. We need entrepreneurs like that guy! Get him out of jail! Why do we put these really extraordinary people in jail? We need their minds, their energy, their life force. Get him free. Who knows what else he could’ve come up with?

Ulbricht is serving a life sentence for his role in creating and maintaining the notorious marketplace that operated on the dark web and used cryptocurrency transactions to let people buy and sell contraband. When the FBI shut the operation down, Draper famously bought the nearly 30,000 BTC that had been seized. It seems Ulbricht has been close to his mind ever since.

“I get that he’s got to be an example, and he stepped over the line,” Draper continued, “but he’s been in jail for a while. Get him out. I cry when my cat goes into a cage, it tears my heart out when these prisoners go into cages.”