In June 2025, Ross Ulbricht's Bitcoin wallet received 300 BTC, valued at $31.4 million, from unknown sources, raising suspicions about the origin. Ulbricht, known for founding the Silk Road, auctioned off personal items after being released from prison, prompting theories that the funds might be clandestine Silk Road profits. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT was brought in to trace the donation's origins, which led to two flagged addresses linked to cryptocurrency exchanges dating back to 2014 and 2019. The investigation employed advanced tools for thorough analysis and discovered ties to the AlphaBay marketplace, a successor to Silk Road. ZachXBT highlighted the challenges of hiding transactions in a system that allows for tracking, showcasing how sophisticated criminals can still be traced through blockchain transparency. The case underscores the potential for long-dormant funds to resurface and the increasing importance of accountability in the crypto ecosystem.

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