From Silk Road to Meme Coin Drama; Will The Real $ROSS Please Stand Up!?

The recent drama surrounding the $ross coins, cryptocurrencies themed around Ross Ulbricht, has brought to light the murky waters of cryptocurrency launches leading to questions surrounding the validity of being "first" and the influence of so-called 'cabals' within the crypto meme coin space.

Who is Ross Ulbricht?

Ross Ulbricht became infamous for founding Silk Road, an online black market operating on the dark web via something called the Tor network from 2011 until his arrest in 2013. Ulbricht was not your typical criminal mastermind. Instead, under the pseudonym "Dread Pirate Roberts," he envisioned and built a platform where anonymity was key, focusing primarily on the trade of illegal substances using Bitcoin to ensure untraceable transactions. This venture made Silk Road one of the most sophisticated and notorious digital marketplaces of its era, dealing in goods ranging from drugs to counterfeit documents, and pretty much anything else you can dream up.

However, Ulbricht's innovative but extremely illegal endeavour ended abruptly with his arrest by the FBI in 2013. Following a trial in 2015, he was convicted on charges including running a continuing criminal enterprise and money laundering, leading to a life sentence without parole, plus an additional 40 years.

Bitcoin Magazine@BitcoinMagazine·Jan 13, 2025

Ross Ulbricht will be free in 8 days 🧡 pic.x.com/jz8z9VgUFL

209 replies275 reposts2.9K likes181K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

The severity of his sentence has ignited a debate on extremism, given that Ross was a first-time offender with no history of violence. This has led to the formation of the "Free Ross" movement, which not only seeks his release but also raises broader questions about digital privacy, drug policy reform, and sentencing fairness. Political figures, including former and soon-to-be President Donald Trump, have shown serious interest in revisiting his case, emphasizing the ongoing public and political discourse surrounding Ross's fate. Crypto X is absolutely buzzing with the anticipation of his release following President Trump's Inauguration Day.

Sasha Hodder@sashahodler·May 26, 2024

Ross Ulbricht was unjustly sentenced to double life + 40 years for creating a website. Trump says he will let Ross out with time served (which is 11 years now). This is amazing news! pic.x.com/jqPIaYB537

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27 replies53 reposts317 likes25K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

TFTC@TFTC21·Jan 17, 2025

Donald Trump pledged to commute Ross Ulbricht’s sentence on Day 1 if elected. Three days to go. pic.x.com/reyuLDZj12

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13 replies44 reposts362 likes19K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

The first $ross coin established presence for months, dedicated to advocating for Ulbricht's freedom.

The subsequent coins hurt the original community market cap, enticing holders to rotate into the new coins only to result in many losing their initial investment. The situation complicated further by endorsements from major whales and influencers, fuelling the accusations of insider knowledge and market manipulation.

$ROSS@rossonsol·Jan 18, 2025

Forget the noise. Forget the arguments. We’re here for one reason: FREE ROSS ULBRICHT. He never stopped fighting. Neither will we. $ROSS pic.x.com/ZL6NJravIw

11 replies37 reposts180 likes6.2K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

Ansem 🐂🀄️@blknoiz06·Jan 16, 2025

this looks pretty cool rosscoin.ai some ppl launched an AI coin around Ross, lotta crypto ppl were around during early Silk Road days + Trump has already pledged to pardon him on day 1 pic.x.com/d2upzmWdGC twitter.com/TopHat_One/status…

326 replies68 reposts353 likes957K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

The New $ross Coin(s) Drama

Squiggly Hair Shanks@redhairshanks86·Jan 16, 2025

ansem, i like you, so i will be fair, but i need to call you out on this one. everyone, listen up, i am exposing an insider play here: - a newly created account with 25 posts launched a ross ulbricht coin to extract value. the account is brand new, only has fake followers, but for some reason ansem follows him - the dev bundled 95% of the supply, already cashed out $2 mil for himself and is manipulating the market with bots and fake twitter accounts - ansem is quoting the fake ross coin within the first hour pretending to have found it. it is very common for undisclosed shills to use phrases like "oh, i found this" or "pretty cool to find...". this is not speculation, the evidence is overwhelming - fake ross is manipulated to $25 million market cap already, but price is dropping hard from peak as it is such an obvious grift. 1 hour after launch it already has 6.5k holders... this is not possible and he uses bots to distribute the bundled supply to all my fellow $ROSS brothers: this is a declaration of war to us. we need to defend our bags, no one is coming to help us. be merciless. don't insult ansem, even though he is obviously part of the cabal. let's give him a chance to do the right thing. but have 0 merci on the fake rosscoin. insult and attack the grifting dev and let the world know that a cabal will not win against us today.

212 replies190 reposts2.4K likes810K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

A post by Squiggly Hair Shanks (@redhairshanks86 on X) on X highlighted a scam where a newly created account launched a Ross Ulbricht-themed coin to potentially extract value, employing tactics like bundling 95% of the supply, cashing out $2 million, and allegedly manipulating the market with bots and fake Twitter accounts.

The involvement of Ansem, a notable crypto influencer, was questioned when he quickly endorsed this new @RealRossCoin token, suggesting substantial speculations of undisclosed promotion or insider trading.

Ansem himself has come out refuting these claims.

Replying to @redhairshanks86

Ansem 🐂🀄️@blknoiz06·Jan 16, 2025

@redhairshanks86 i woke up & sorted by volume on dexscreener and it was #1 there, then clicked the link to the twitter which has the site & the page, its not any more complicated than that wasnt even aware another ross coin existed pic.x.com/JjM2ZeJFgX

104 replies6 reposts168 likes103K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

Ansem's defense was straightforward; he claimed ignorance of any other Ross-themed coin, stating he found $ROSSCOIN by sorting tokens by volume on dexscreener, which led him to its Twitter page. However, his quick endorsement raised eyebrows, especially given the existing circumstances.

Replying to @thiagoxbt

Ansem 🐂🀄️@blknoiz06·Jan 16, 2025

@WildanPera @redhairshanks86 i havent been given anything

18 replies0 reposts12 likes5.5K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

Despite the rapid rise investors saw its value plummet, signalling the likelihood of market manipulation. The crypto community, feeling betrayed, rallied against this venture, labeling it a scam and urging action against the developer.

Interestingly, despite no direct link to Ulbricht, 1% of the token's supply was said to be sent to him, adding a bizarre twist to the saga. This incident underscores the rampant ploys used within the cryptocurrency sector, where new tokens are often launched with the primary intent of extracting liquidity and defrauding investors.

Valentenio.booe.eth 🕴🏽@LordTerentenio·Jan 16, 2025

Strange…. I don’t see any @RealRossCoin in Ross Ulbricht’s wallet. Probably cuz it’s just a cabal larp that just wants to capatilize off Ross’s name & take all your money 😂. But hey feel free to keep donating your money to these “KOLs” @rossonsol is the OG $ROSS coin and the real deal. 1% of supply donated directly to Ross Ulbricht’s wallet currently worth $250,000

12 replies19 reposts95 likes6.5K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

The Broader Implications

This drama not only highlights the ethical dilemmas within the crypto space but also questions the integrity of market dynamics. With accusations flying about market manipulation to extract liquidity, the concern is whether genuine, organic projects can thrive without the backing of influential cabals or if every move in the market is now orchestrated to benefit a select few at the expense of the broader community. The narrative of insider plays, fake followers, and manipulated markets paints a grim picture of an industry where trust is continually tested.

Moral Dilemma: The Role of Cabals & Powerful Market Manipulations

The moral question here revolves around the power dynamics within the crypto community. Are cabals (groups of influential figures who can sway market trends) truly at fault for leveraging their influence, or is it an inevitable part of the ecosystem that we, as observers, can't help but watch unfold, now before our eyes. Before times feeling more like these things happened on smaller scales, whispered about in backrooms but not widely known, a spectacle now on full display.

While the law might frown upon insider trading and market manipulation, in the decentralized world of cryptocurrencies, these practices often go unchecked and even encouraged. Leading to a community divided on how to address or even view these actions. Leaving us all to question is anyone really doing anything "wrong" if there are no rules?

This never-ending question always left up to you, the individual. With no blanket standard for what is widely perceived as acceptable.

The moral dilemma posed is whether those with power, like the so-called cabals, are at fault for leveraging their influence in ways that might not be transparent or fair. As the market evolves, ensuring transparency, accountability, and genuine community involvement becomes paramount.

For Ross Ulbricht, whose name is once again at the heart of digital controversy, this episode serves as a reminder of his lasting impact on discussions about freedom, privacy, and the ethics of digital markets.

In a previous @_CXMZ on X article touching on a similar topic...

CTMZ@_CXMZ·Nov 22, 2024

x.com/i/article/1859…

0 replies0 reposts9 likes2.9K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:59:33 GMT

The $ross coin(s) drama serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing meme coin communities, especially those without the support of powerful networks.

Squiggly Hair Shanks@redhairshanks86·Jan 17, 2025

EVERYONE let's create the biggest copy pasta in the world. here is the text: hello fellow crypto bro, this is the $ROSS community sending a message to you: - trump promised to free ross ulbricht when he becomes president - without ross, bitcoin might have never taken off and we all wouldn't be here - the ross community has been rallying behind the $ROSS memecoins (@rossonsol) for almost a year. due to an ongoing war with a cabal coin, $ROSS is currently trading at a discount of $11 million - join our cause - be careful, there are many scam and grift ross coins out there, even with higher market caps due to manipulation. do not get dumped on.

22 replies51 reposts211 likes19K viewsas of Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:14:04 GMT

This drama underscores several critical issues within the cryptocurrency market. Firstly, it highlights the vulnerability of investors to scams, emphasizing the need for due diligence. Secondly, it questions the role of influential figures in market dynamics, suggesting that their endorsements or associations can significantly sway investor behaviour, often to the detriment of much smaller, organic projects.

It questions the very nature of market integrity in the digital age, where the line between innovation and exploitation often blur. As for where CTMZ stands, the situation underscores the need for greater transparency, ethical considerations, and perhaps even regulatory oversight to ensure the crypto space remains a fair playing field for all, not just the cabals.

But the real question, was it ever really equal playing field for all?

Kenny Rogers - The Gambler