If Ross Ulbricht was starting Silk Road today there is no way he would be using bitcoin! https://www.blockchain.com/explorer/addresses/btc/1FfmbHfnpaZjKFvyi1okTjJJusN455paPH

This address is owned by the FBI and was used in the seizure of approximately 144,000 bitcoin from the Silk Road.

All SR transactions were traced... I think he would certainly use other cryptos