Roger Ver, also known as Bitcoin Jesus, has reportedly reached a preliminary agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding accusations of fraud and failing to pay taxes.
To resolve the charges, Ver has agreed to pay $48 million in back taxes related to his cryptocurrency investments.
Bitcoin Jesus Secures Provisional Deal
Roger Ver, a well-known supporter of cryptocurrency, might be cleared of accusations that he falsely reported his taxes and failed to pay what he owed.
I’ve learned that Ver has reached a tentative agreement with the Department of Justice. Basically, he’ll be able to avoid prosecution if he pays the $48 million in back taxes he owes. It’s a provisional deal, so it’s not final yet, but that’s the core of the arrangement.
This agreement isn’t final and could still be modified. However, if completed, it would add to the series of favorable actions taken by former US President Donald Trump regarding the cryptocurrency industry.
Ver’s Arrest and the Industry’s Plea for Pardon
In February 2024, Ver was arrested at a cryptocurrency conference in Barcelona, Spain. He’s now facing US charges for reportedly avoiding over $48 million in taxes and submitting a false tax return.
The accusations stem from the sale of $240 million in cryptocurrencies and a fee connected to Ver giving up his US citizenship in 2014.
Ver’s lawyers have repeatedly argued that the charges against him are driven by political motives. They contend the case is a result of the current administration’s aggressive stance on regulating cryptocurrency, stemming from actions taken under the previous administration.
In the last year, prominent figures in the cryptocurrency world have campaigned for a pardon for Ver. Soon after Donald Trump became president, Elon Musk, then heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), publicly stated he would look into the possibility of granting Ver clemency.
In March, Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, warned that Ver might be targeted by authorities due to his strong advocacy for personal freedoms. Buterin suggested the government should prioritize collecting back taxes instead of pursuing strict legal penalties.
It’s unreasonable to spend the rest of your life in prison for non-violent tax crimes. Roger’s case appears to be driven by political motives, similar to what happened with @RealRossU. Many individuals and companies have been accused of much more serious offenses and received significantly lighter sentences.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 1, 2025
Vitalik Buterin compared the situation to Ross Ulbricht, who created the Silk Road website. Ulbricht received two life sentences for crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering, and hacking.
Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, Ulbricht was pardoned.
When news surfaced about a possible pardon for Ver, some in the crypto world were pleased. However, others worried it could be seen as the crypto industry getting preferential treatment.
Government Retreat from Crypto Enforcement
As an analyst, I’m watching the Ver case closely, and it’s starting to look like another instance of the Trump administration easing up on crypto enforcement. It seems they were less aggressive in pursuing cases within the cryptocurrency space, and this one could fit that pattern.
Ver repeatedly linked his legal issues to Donald Trump’s claims that the justice system was being unfairly used against him. Reports indicate that in April, Ver paid Roger Stone, a long-time Trump associate, $600,000 in an attempt to eliminate the tax rules at the heart of the case. He also hired David Schoen, an attorney who previously defended Trump during his second impeachment trial.
The SEC’s move away from primarily punishing crypto companies after the fact highlights the previous administration’s generally lenient approach to crypto enforcement.
This year, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dropped its lawsuit against Coinbase and reached a settlement with Ripple Labs after a lengthy legal battle. They also closed investigations into prominent platforms like OpenSea and Robinhood. Adding to these changes, the Department of Justice disbanded its dedicated team focused on crypto enforcement back in April.
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2025-10-10 02:44