Vitalik Buterin, Ross Ulbricht, and Tucker Carlson are among notable figures calling on President Donald Trump to consider pardoning Roger Ver, famously known as Bitcoin Jesus.
Ver earned the nickname Bitcoin Jesus due to his early promotion of the cryptocurrency, but he is currently facing up to 109 years behind bars on tax-related charges, including accusations of evading $48 million in taxes. After he renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014 in an attempt to evade legal issues, Ver’s troubles resurfaced with his arrest in Spain in 2024. Given Trump’s prior pardons for individuals like Ulbricht and the founders of BitMEX, many are left wondering whether Ver might receive similar clemency. Is a pardon forthcoming, or will Ver continue to face his legal challenges?
Continue reading for further insights.
Crypto supporters
Following Trump’s acceptance of cryptocurrency, numerous leaders within the crypto sphere stepped up to support him, donating to his inauguration and attending galas.
In response, Trump signed an order to accumulate digital tokens and acted quickly in favor of the sector. Under the SEC chair appointed by Trump, Mark Uyeda, investigations into several cryptocurrency firms, including Immutable, Crypto.com, Ripple, and Coinbase, were dropped.
In a significant action on March 27, Trump issued pardons to BitMEX co-founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed, who had admitted guilt to federal charges regarding money laundering and regulatory breaches. This trio faced conviction for neglecting to implement necessary anti-money laundering protocols at BitMEX, which prosecutors referred to as a “money laundering platform.” Reed had also violated the Bank Secrecy Act and incurred a $10 million fine. Yet under Trump, it appears that past offenses may be overlooked.
This has led to speculation about whether Ver, a key player in the crypto community, might also benefit from similar leniency.
Hailing from Silicon Valley, Ver embraced libertarian ideals early on and was active in the foundational phases of cryptocurrency, backing ventures like Kraken, Ripple, and Blockchain.com. In 2017, he promoted Bitcoin Cash (BCH) as a better choice for everyday transactions.
Ver’s Background
By the year 2000, Ver was engaging in debates for the Libertarian Party at just 20 years old.
In those discussions, he made provocative remarks about agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, calling them “murderers” and alluding to their role in the infamous Waco Siege, where many children lost their lives during a standoff between federal agents and Branch Davidian cult members. At the time, he was unaware that ATF agents were monitoring those debates.
During the 2000s, Ver ventured into e-commerce, selling products such as firecrackers on eBay. After being charged for selling unlicensed firecrackers in 2001, he served 10 months in prison. He perceived the lengthy jail sentence, rather than just a fine or a warning to secure a license, as politically motivated due to his outspoken criticism of the ATF. After his probation ended, Ver left the U.S. to avoid further legal issues.
In 2011, Ver discovered Bitcoin and quickly became one of its earliest investors, promoting the cryptocurrency well before it gained widespread popularity, making significant investments while advocating its potential for global leaders to discuss.
His main arguments for Bitcoin were centered around advocating for individual financial freedom and reducing governmental and banking interference in personal lives.
Legal Challenges
Since February 2014, Ver has held citizenship in Saint Kitts and Nevis. He asserts that he was compelled to renounce his U.S. citizenship due to prolonged targeting by U.S. authorities.
In April 2024, he was indicted and detained in Spain on allegations of U.S. tax evasion and mail fraud. He is accused of failing to pay taxes on $48 million earned from cryptocurrencies, claiming he made nearly half a billion dollars.
Prosecutors allege that Ver neglected to pay an “exit tax” on 131,000 BTC owned by his companies when he departed the U.S., while providing misleading information to the firms preparing his tax filings. Reportedly, he sold his bitcoins in 2017 without notifying his tax attorneys.
Ver explains that the three mail fraud counts he faces (which could result in a combined sentence of 19 years) stem from three letters sent to the IRS with his tax returns.
He denies committing any crimes like tax evasion or mail fraud, insisting that he endeavored to follow the then-emerging Bitcoin taxation laws, arguing that his prosecution is politically motivated.
Since December, he has been fighting against these charges, having filed a motion to dismiss them, which was rejected by the government in January.
Ver’s legal team has labeled the exit tax as “an unconstitutional limitation on the fundamental right to expatriate.” They note that for individuals like Ver with significant low-liquidity assets, this tax could be quite punitive. The government claims Ver is a fugitive, a label he contests, claiming he is not hiding and hasn’t committed the crimes he’s charged with during his time in the U.S.
On March 1, Buterin shared an X post arguing that most countries do not impose an exit tax and referred to it as “tax-by-citizenship” and “extreme.”
Furthermore, Buterin indicated that the IRS gathered some data through intimidation of Ver’s legal team. He added:
“Genuine good faith mistakes should be addressed by allowing the individual the chance to repay any owed taxes with interest and penalties, instead of resorting to prosecution.”
Could Bitcoin Jesus Be Pardoned?
Trump previously committed to pardoning Ulbricht if re-elected. Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road marketplace who was charged with money laundering and drug trafficking, is a significant figure in Bitcoin’s narrative, as his platform facilitated Bitcoin’s widespread use. After his inauguration, Trump did grant Ulbricht a pardon, generating much anticipation.
Not long after, various supporters from the crypto community began pushing Trump to pardon Ver. On January 21, 2025, following Ulbricht’s pardon, a social media influencer known as Rothmus posted a brief message calling for Ver’s pardon, which drew a response from Elon Musk, who said he would “inquire.” This sparked hope within the community that Bitcoin Jesus might receive similar clemency.
On March 17, Marla Maples, Trump’s former wife, posted a heartfelt video on social media featuring individuals sharing their experiences of Ver’s kindness and support.
However, it remains uncertain if the President took notice of this post.
An optimistic outlook for Ver’s pardon faced a setback on January 26, when Musk unexpectedly tweeted that Ver would not receive a pardon due to his renunciation of U.S. citizenship.
This statement incited significant backlash, as Musk holds no official authority to decide pardons. He is an advisor to Trump and was a substantial contributor to his campaign, however.
More importantly, the President is not legally barred from pardoning non-citizens. Many have argued that Ver’s obligation to renounce his citizenship came under coercion from the ATF and the looming threat of a prison sentence.
Shortly after Musk’s tweet, Ver released a video on social media wherein he briefly discussed the reasons behind his prosecution and implored Trump for a pardon.
In the video, Ver articulated his identity as American and referred to renouncing his citizenship as one of the “hardest and saddest decisions” he has made in his life.
After the pardons granted to Ulbricht, Hayes, Delo, and Reed, additional advocates, such as Angela McArdle, Chair of the national Libertarian Party, have called for Ver’s freedom as well.
“Let’s hope Roger Ver is next!” she expressed on a Friday.
It remains unclear whether Musk was articulating skepticism on behalf of Trump’s position or merely sharing his personal views regarding the situation.
As of the last update on Saturday, Trump has not publicly addressed Ver’s case.