Key Takeaways:
- Charges and Defense: Roger Ver, facing tax evasion charges from the DOJ, denies wrongdoing, claiming he was not a U.S. citizen at the time and accusing the government of political retaliation for his crypto advocacy.
- Allegations of Tax Evasion: The DOJ alleges Ver failed to disclose assets, including 131,000 Bitcoin, and undervalued company holdings, leading to a $48 million tax liability.
- Legal and Political Context: Ver’s defense highlights unclear crypto tax regulations and alleges misuse of legal privileges, framing the charges as politically motivated due to his decentralized finance advocacy.
Roger Ver, nicknamed “Bitcoin Jesus” for his early cryptocurrency advocacy, is challenging U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) charges of tax evasion, mail fraud, and filing false tax returns.
Arrested in Spain and facing possible extradition, Ver denies wrongdoing, asserting he was not a U.S. citizen or resident when the alleged offenses occurred.
This is a politically motivated
— Roger Ver (@rogerkver) December 9, 2024
persecution they are using to try to shut me up. My response? A full interview with @TuckerCarlson https://t.co/JUPhWWswTL pic.twitter.com/2NU32aX9ld
Prosecutors accuse him of underreporting assets, failing to disclose ownership of 131,000 Bitcoin worth $240 million in 2017, and avoiding $48 million in taxes when renouncing U.S. citizenship in 2014.
Ver attributes the charges to political retaliation for his vocal support of decentralized finance, which he claims threatens government-controlled monetary systems.
He also alleges misuse of confidential communications by prosecutors and ties his indictment to his recent book exposing governmental interference in cryptocurrency.
In a Dec. 10 interview, Ver described the allegations as baseless and criticized the IRS’s “exit tax” as overly vague, particularly for digital assets.
His legal team argues that outdated and unclear tax regulations have been unfairly applied.
On Dec. 3, Ver filed a motion to dismiss the charges, deeming them unconstitutional and politically motivated, emphasizing his commitment to fighting unjust actions against cryptocurrency advocates.
About The Author
Adam Morris, the co-founder of Crypto Head and a respected crypto expert, offers insightful commentary and analysis on cryptocurrency, NFTs, and the evolving digital landscape.
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