Crypto Journalist
Amin Ayan
Crypto Journalist
Amin Ayan
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Roger Ver has reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ), admitting that he willfully failed to disclose his Bitcoin holdings when he renounced his US citizenship in 2014.
Key Takeaways:
- Roger Ver settled with the US DOJ, admitting he hid Bitcoin holdings when renouncing US citizenship in 2014.
- He paid nearly $50 million in back taxes and penalties, leading the government to drop its indictment.
- Ver’s case ties into Trump-linked lobbying efforts as speculation about a potential pardon.
According to the DOJ, Ver, the early Bitcoin advocate famously known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” entered into a deferred prosecution agreement, agreeing to pay nearly $50 million in back taxes, penalties, and interest to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
US Drops Indictment After Roger Ver Pays $50M in Tax Settlement
Prosecutors said his omission caused a $16.9 million loss to the US government. In exchange for the payment, the government has moved to dismiss the indictment against him.
“Mr. Ver is accepting responsibility for his actions and has agreed to pay a substantial penalty,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in a statement on Tuesday.
Ver, who became a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis in 2014, was arrested in Spain last year and extradited to the United States.
His case was led by the IRS Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit, which investigates tax evasion involving digital assets.
The settlement confirms reports that Ver and the DOJ had been finalizing a resolution to the $48 million tax-evasion case.
Meanwhile, speculative trading on Polymarket briefly pushed odds of a Trump pardon for Ver to 50% before falling back to around 13% following the DOJ’s announcement.
Ver has sought to align himself with Trump’s orbit throughout his legal troubles. Earlier this year, he paid $600,000 to Trump ally Roger Stone to lobby against the tax provisions central to his case.
Lobbying records also show that Ver hired attorneys Christopher Kise and Brian Ballard, both of whom have long-standing ties to Trump’s political network.
The Justice Department accused Ver of hiding the true value of his Bitcoin holdings. The filings were connected to his decision to renounce US citizenship.
At that time, Americans were required to pay an “exit tax” on all global assets, including cryptocurrency. Prosecutors argued that by concealing his holdings, Ver deprived the US of millions in taxes.
White House Weighs Pardon for Binance Founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao
The White House has reportedly intensified discussions over a potential presidential pardon for Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, according to an October 12 New York Post report.
Sources cited by Fox Business journalist Charles Gasparino claim that President Donald Trump is “leaning toward a pardon,” despite concerns among advisors about how it could appear given his financial ties to the crypto industry.
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to failing to maintain adequate anti-money laundering controls at Binance, leading to his resignation as CEO.
The talks come nearly a year after Zhao publicly hinted he “wouldn’t mind a pardon” following President Joe Biden’s controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, in 2024.
The potential pardon has already sparked backlash from Senator Elizabeth Warren, who sent a letter to White House Counsel David Warrington and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, warning that Zhao’s request raises “urgent concerns about the integrity of the justice system.”
