The White House counsel's office is reviewing Ulbricht's case, and the US president has privately expressed sympathy for the felon, the Daily Beast said, citing several sources familiar with the matter.

In 2015 Ulbricht received a life sentence without the possibility of parole after being accused of computer fraud, money laundering, and drug charges related to his Silk Road site, which allowed users to purchase drugs anonymously using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Ulbricht's attorneys filed two unsuccessful appeals to overturn the sentence, which is viewed by some activists, commentators, and even lawmakers as inhumane.

Responding to Tuesday's Daily Beast report, Michigan's Libertarian Congressman Justin Amash said that Ulbricht's sentence is "wildly excessive, and the president should address such disparities in justice."

As the outgoing president, Trump is expected to grant commutations and pardons before the January 20 inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden. B