- Ulbricht highlighted Bitcoin advocated Ver’s past support for him, stating, “No one should spend the rest of their life in prison over taxes.”
- Roger Ver, arrested in Spain in 2024 at the U.S. DOJ’s request, is accused of tax crimes, including evading $48 million in back taxes tied to his Bitcoin holdings and U.S.-based companies.
Ross Ulbricht, the newly pardoned Silk Road founder, has spoken out in support of early Bitcoin supporter Roger Ver, who finds himself in legal trouble in the United States these days. Ulbricht used X to make an appeal for Ver’s freedom, saying, “Roger Ver was there for me when I was down and needed help. Now Roger needs our help.” He went on to say, “No one should spend the rest of their life in prison over taxes.”
Details On Roger Ver’s Case
Ver, also known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” was arrested in Spain in April 2024 on a U.S. Department of Justice request. The DOJ has charged him with various tax crimes, including mail fraud, tax evasion, and submitting false tax returns. Prosecutors say Ver underestimated the worth of his Bitcoin assets when he filed his “exit tax” in 2014 prior to giving up his U.S. citizenship. Authorities allege he owes about $48 million in back taxes.
The Ver case is based on accusations that he notably underreported selling tens of thousands of bitcoins in 2017. The DOJ says those Bitcoins were attributed to his U.S.-based companies, MemoryDealers and Agilestar. Even after renouncing his U.S. citizenship, American prosecutors say Ver was nonetheless obligated to report and pay taxes on dividends from these companies. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California earlier said that Ver didn’t accurately value these companies and their assets in preparing his exit tax.
Ver was released on bail of €150,000 (about $157,000) after his arrest in Spain but is under house arrest awaiting a decision on extradition. If convicted, he could face up to 109 years in prison. His lawyers from Steptoe LLP and Kimura London & White have prepared a motion asking the court to dismiss the action that it amounts to “unconstitutional overreach” and politically motivated because of Ver’s strong advocacy of cryptocurrencies.
Ver’s legal struggles have prompted the start of the “Free Roger” campaign, following the previous “Free Ross” movement calling for the freedom of Ulbricht. But the campaign has had a divided reaction. Many considered Ulbricht’s two life sentences when he filed for an appeal, but others see Ver’s case differently. Previously, even billionaire Elon Musk advocated for Ver’s release, as mentioned in our blog post.
Prior Legal Actions Against Ver
This is not Ver’s initial legal conflict. He was sentenced in 2002 to ten months of federal time for selling and storing fireworks in an unauthorized way without a permit. Following release, he resided in Japan and then attained St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship in 2014.
Ver’s defense team contends that the IRS has crossed boundaries, referring to an episode in 2018 when tax agents supposedly interrogated his attorney and former MemoryDealers employees without a warrant. His supporters say that he attempted to be in line with tax laws but the IRS charged him with a misinterpretation of the law. As speculation mounts over possible presidential pardons, the betting markets have predicted a 10% likelihood of Ver being granted clemency by Trump within his first 100 days in office, according to Polymarket.
