Is Roger Ver, aka ‘Bitcoin Jesus’, Next in Line for a Pardon from Trump after BitMEX?
Vitalik Buterin, Ross Ulbricht, and Tucker Carlson are calling on President Donald Trump to grant a pardon to Roger Ver, known as Bitcoin Jesus.
Recognized for his early promotion of Bitcoin, Ver is facing the possibility of 109 years in prison on tax evasion charges, involving accusations of evading $48 million in taxes. After renouncing his U.S. citizenship in 2014 to evade prosecution, Ver’s legal troubles reemerged following his arrest in Spain in 2024. Given Trump’s prior pardons of figures like Ulbricht and the co-founders of BitMEX, many are speculating whether Ver might also find reprieve. Will a pardon be on the horizon, or will Ver remain engulfed in legal challenges?
Continue reading for a deeper analysis.
Crypto Allies
Following Trump’s endorsement of cryptocurrency, numerous leaders within the crypto sector rallied support for him, contributing to his inauguration and attending various events.
Trump’s actions were welcomed by industry executives.
In exchange, he signed an order to accumulate tokens and took swift actions favorable to the crypto industry. Under the leadership of Trump-appointed SEC chair Mark Uyeda, investigations into several cryptocurrency firms— such as Immutable, Crypto.com, Ripple, and Coinbase—were dismissed.
On Thursday, March 27, Trump granted pardons to BitMEX co-founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed, who had previously pled guilty to federal charges concerning money laundering and regulatory breaches. The trio was charged for neglecting to enforce anti-money laundering protocols at BitMEX, which prosecutors described as a “money laundering platform.” Reed also violated the Bank Secrecy Act, incurring a $10 million fine. Yet under Trump, it appears that all is forgiven.
This development has led to speculation about whether Ver, a significant figure in the crypto scene, could receive similar leniency.
Ver, a native of Silicon Valley with a firm libertarian inclination, was actively engaged in the early days of cryptocurrency, investing in firms such as Kraken, Ripple, and Blockchain.com. In 2017, he promoted Bitcoin Cash (BCH) as a superior option for daily transactions.
Ver’s Background
In 2000, at just 20 years old, Ver started engaging in libertarian party debates.
During these discussions, he made incendiary remarks about agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, deeming them “murderers” and referring to their role in the notorious Waco Siege, where numerous children lost their lives in a confrontation involving FBI and ATF agents and followers of the Branch Davidian cult. Unbeknownst to Ver, ATF agents were actually present at these debates.
Throughout the 2000s, Ver also dabbled in e-commerce. Beyond tech ventures, he sold firecrackers on eBay. After being charged for selling unlicensed firecrackers in 2001, Ver received a 10-month prison sentence. His belief that he was imprisoned rather than fined or informed about the necessity of obtaining a license led him to suspect that the case against him was politically motivated, spurred by his critique of the ATF. Following his prison stint, Ver left the U.S. after completing his probation.
By 2011, Ver became acquainted with Bitcoin, subsequently becoming one of its initial investors and ardent advocates, even before it gained mainstream attention, supporting multi-million dollar investments and encouraging national leaders to recognize its potential for their countries.
Ver’s primary advocacy points for Bitcoin emphasized individual financial freedom and preventing government and bank interference in people’s lives.
The Legal Battle
Since February 2014, Ver has held citizenship in Saint Kitts and Nevis, claiming that the long-standing targeting from the U.S. government necessitated his renunciation of U.S. citizenship.
In April 2024, he faced an indictment and arrest in Spain on allegations of U.S. tax evasion and mail fraud. Ver is accused of avoiding $48 million in taxes after reportedly earning up to half a billion dollars through cryptocurrencies.
According to prosecutors, Ver failed to pay the “exit tax” on 131,000 BTC owned by his two companies when he departed the U.S. and provided false information to the law firms handling his tax returns. Allegedly, he sold his bitcoins in 2017 without informing his financial attorneys.
Ver contends that the three mail fraud charges (which could result in a combined sentence of 19 years in prison) stem from three letters containing his tax returns that he sent to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Ver firmly denies committing any crimes such as tax evasion and mail fraud, asserting that he made every effort to comply with the emerging Bitcoin taxation regulations, arguing that his prosecution was politically motivated.
In December, he initiated his legal defense against the allegations, contesting all charges. He filed a motion to dismiss the charges, which was rejected by the government in January.
Ver’s legal team has characterized the exit tax as “an unconstitutional burden on the fundamental right to expatriate.” For individuals like Ver with significant holdings in low-liquidity assets, such an exit tax could be prohibitive. The government contends that Ver is a fugitive, a designation he contests, claiming he isn’t hiding and did not commit the offenses for which he’s being judged while residing in the U.S.
On March 1, Ethereum’s Buterin published a post on X, asserting that the exit tax is non-existent in most other countries, describing it as “tax-by-citizenship” and “extreme.”
Buterin further claimed that the IRS obtained some information through intimidation tactics directed at Ver’s legal counsel. He concluded:
“Genuine good faith mistakes should be treated by giving the actor the opportunity to pay back taxes if needed with interest and penalties, not with prosecution.”
Will Bitcoin Jesus Be Pardoned?
Trump had promised to pardon Ross Ulbricht if re-elected. Ulbricht, the architect behind the Silk Road marketplace, charged with money laundering and drug trafficking, remains a significant figure in Bitcoin’s history due to his marketplace’s role in promoting Bitcoin’s use. After his inauguration, Trump did indeed pardon Ulbricht, receiving widespread approval.
Various crypto supporters subsequently called on Trump to also pardon Roger Ver. On January 21, 2025, following Ulbricht’s pardon, an X influencer named Rothmus published a brief post advocating for Ver’s pardon, to which Elon Musk replied: “will inquire.” This response raised hopes within the community for Bitcoin Jesus’ pardon.
https://twitter.com/Rothmus/status/1881536312710402268
On March 17, Marla Maples, Trump’s ex-wife, shared an emotional video on X, showcasing testimonials from individuals who had encountered Ver and attesting to his generosity.
However, it remains uncertain whether the President took notice of this post.
Hope for Ver’s pardon took a hit on January 26 when Elon Musk unexpectedly claimed in a post that Ver would not receive a pardon due to his renunciation of U.S. citizenship.
This statement drew widespread criticism, as Musk is not an elected official and lacks the authority to determine who receives a pardon. However, he is an advisor to Trump and a significant contributor to his “MAGA” campaign.
Moreover, the President is not barred from pardoning non-U.S. citizens. Many pointed out that Ver renounced his citizenship under duress from the ATF and in response to a potential U.S. prison sentence.
A few hours after Musk’s tweet, Ver shared a video on X in which he briefly outlined the reasons behind his prosecution and appealed to Trump for a pardon.
In the video, Ver expressed that he is American, stating that the decision to renounce his citizenship was one of the “hardest and saddest decisions [he] ever made.”
Following Ulbricht, Hayes, Delo, and Reed receiving presidential pardons, others, including Angela McArdle, the current Chair of the national Libertarian Party, have called for Ver’s release as well.
“Let’s pray Roger Ver is next!” she declared on a Friday.
It remains uncertain whether Musk’s skeptical commentary regarding the likelihood of Ver’s clemency reflects Trump’s stance or merely his personal perspective on the matter.
As of the latest updates on Saturday, Trump has yet to comment on Ver’s situation.