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Ross Ulbricht's Family Is Exhibiting His Prison Art to Fundraise for His Appeal

The new website launched on Tuesday.
The site's new art game. Image: FreeRoss.org

Supporters of Ross Ulbricht have some new creative ways to donate to the defense fund of the convicted mastermind behind online drug marketplace Silk Road.

Ulbricht's family relaunched the website for his defense fund on Tuesday, adding a gamified donation page created with the Silk Road creator's own art and a never-before-seen home video (which has since been set to private without explanation) in efforts to raise more funds.

Supporters of the convicted Dread Pirate Roberts can donate through a "Free Ross" game that reveals a drawing Ulbricht created in prison of his view of the trial. For a $1 donation, supporters can reveal one square of the game at a time and leave pixelated messages for Ulbricht. Users have already written "Free Ross" and "Bitcoin" on the drawing. Players of the artwork game also have a chance to win a one gram gold bar if they chose one of 21 lucky squares.

Drawing isn't the only hobby Ulbricht has picked up in prison. According to posts from his mother, he has also asked for books and magazines to read, has been tutoring inmates, and even keeping a pet mouse.

The push to raise more funds comes more than a month after Ulbricht appealed his conviction of seven charges, including money laundering, computer hacking, and conspiracies to traffic narcotics, for which he was given two life sentences. The defense claims the court suppressed information about corruption in the federal investigation of Silk Road, the extent of which is still being realized.

The Free Ross website shows the defense fund has currently raised more than $433,000 of its $650,000 goal.