Roger Ver, one of the earliest and most influential advocates of Bitcoin, is on the brink of closing one of the most politically charged legal battles in the crypto world.
The 46-year-old entrepreneur, known widely as “Bitcoin Jesus,” has struck a provisional agreement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that could see tax fraud charges against him dropped in exchange for a $48 million settlement.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Ver has reached a deferred-prosecution agreement with US authorities.
Under its terms, he would pay the $48 million in unpaid taxes tied to his digital asset holdings.
If approved, the agreement would lead to the dismissal of the criminal case after compliance with the terms.
The Justice Department has yet to file the agreement in court, and the deal remains subject to change.
Its finalisation would come amid a broader shift in Washington’s approach to digital assets under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Ver’s legal troubles stem from a 2024 indictment accusing him of tax evasion and filing a false return.
US prosecutors alleged he concealed 131,000 Bitcoin through companies he controlled — MemoryDealers and Agilestar — and failed to declare gains from the eventual sale of $240 million worth of crypto in 2017.
The case also focused on an “exit tax” the government claimed Ver avoided paying after renouncing his US citizenship in 2014.
The DOJ argued that he underreported the true value of his holdings at the time, depriving the country of tens of millions in tax revenue.
Ver has denied any wrongdoing, framing the charges as politically driven.
His legal team described the case as part of a broader campaign under the previous administration to “weaponise” enforcement against the crypto sector.
In February 2024, Spanish authorities arrested Ver at a crypto conference in Barcelona at the request of US officials.
Washington sought his extradition to face trial in Los Angeles.
Ver challenged the extradition, filing a case at the European Court of Human Rights, accusing Spain of breaching his legal protections.
In a video posted online earlier this year, Ver said he faced a possible 100-year sentence if convicted.
Directly appealing to the White House, he wrote on X,
“Mr. President, I am an American, and I need your help. Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me.”
The case quickly became a rallying point for crypto leaders who argued Ver’s prosecution was excessive.
In March, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin weighed in on the case, arguing that authorities may have targeted Ver because of his outspoken views on personal freedom.
He compared the situation to Ross Ulbricht’s case, suggesting the government should prioritise recovering unpaid taxes over pursuing severe criminal penalties.
Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road marketplace, was sentenced to double life imprisonment before receiving a presidential pardon from Trump earlier this year.
Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, Elon Musk — who at the time headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — publicly committed to reviewing clemency options for Ver.
Ver positioned himself close to Trump’s political network during the legal battle.
In April, reports revealed he paid $600,000 to Republican strategist Roger Stone to lobby against the tax provisions at the heart of the case.
He also hired prominent attorneys Christopher Kise and Brian Ballard, both well-connected in Trump’s circle.
His legal manoeuvres appeared to align with a larger political shift.
The Trump administration has softened its stance on crypto enforcement, reversing several aggressive measures implemented under the previous government.
Ver’s deal follows a series of moves signalling a retreat from hardline crypto regulation.
Earlier this year, the SEC dropped multiple lawsuits against digital asset firms, including Coinbase.
Ross Ulbricht’s pardon and the clemency granted to BitMEX’s founders further highlighted the administration’s new approach.
Ver has long tied his case to this broader political shift, claiming his prosecution was emblematic of the previous administration’s hostility toward crypto.
Roger Ver remains one of the most polarising figures in the industry.
His early evangelism — when he handed out Bitcoin for free to raise awareness — earned him his famous nickname.
In later years, he became a vocal supporter of Bitcoin Cash, often clashing with Bitcoin maximalists.
A former felon who served time in 2002 for selling explosives online, Ver renounced his US citizenship in 2014 and became a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis.
If the agreement with the DOJ is finalised, it would close one of the most closely watched legal cases involving a crypto pioneer — a case that blends money, politics, and the shifting regulatory landscape shaping the industry today.
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