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- Roger Ver gave Republican political operative Roger Stone a $600,000.00 payment to lobby the U.S. “exit tax” tied to his federal taxes evasion.
- Ver was accused by the DOJ last year of concealing crypto assets, and failing to disclose $240 million worth of Bitcoin gains, after quitting his U.S. citizenship.
- Ver’s prosecution joins the growing list of crypto cases seeking relief from Trump’s cryptofriendly administration.
‘Bitcoin Jesus’ Roger Ver, once known for giving away Bitcoin in the streets of Silicon Valley, has now paid U.S. President Donald Trump’s long-time political confidant, Roger Stone, $600,000 to help him escape a federal criminal case that could land him behind bars for life.
Stone, famous for his Nixon tattoos and who calls himself “dirty trickster,” filed lobbying reports last month that showed he was employed in February by lawmakers to undermine U.S. taxes provisions that were the basis of Ver.
Ver’s $48 million tax bill is said to be owed in part to an “exit” tax that is applied to Americans who renounce citizenship.
Ver’s move to file a lawsuit comes as the Trump administration pivots in favour of cryptocurrency. Industry backing and regulatory rollbacks are opening up the doors for policy changes and clemency.
Ver, a former employee of the DOJ, was accused by multiple counts in April. These included charges for mail fraud and tax evasion.
Ver allegedly provided false information to the agency about his crypto assets while preparing for an expatriation from the U.S. Bitcoin In 2017,
He was arrested in Spain that same month and released on €150,000 bail in May, under the condition that he surrender his passport and report regularly to authorities while he fights extradition to the U.S.
Ver made a video plea in January to tie his case into what he described as the “weaponization justice” by the Biden Administration.
Ver said that Donald Trump was the only person who could understand what it is like to suffer from lawfare in order to spread American values. Images of Biden, Harris and others played behind Ver.
Ver’s team of lawyers has filed a motion for dismissal, saying that the indictment is vague and outdated. It also argues that it does not provide clear guidelines to early crypto adopters.
Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/WhVTZ1M1GB. Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/WhVTZ1M1GB
— Roger Ver (@rogerkver) January 26, 2025
The DOJ was accused by his lawyers of using selectively cited evidence, and misrepresenting communications that were privileged.
Stone for his own part insists he didn’t lobby directly for Trump to pardon him.
“I did not lobby any executive officials…including the president,” said he. The New York TimesHe clarified that his main role behind the scenes is to assist Ver’s legal department.
Stone’s blog published an article in December entitled, “Why Roger Ver deserves a Presidential pardon.”
Stone is not a stranger to a courtroom, or even presidential clemency. In 2019, the political consultant and subject of 2017 documentary "Get Me Roger Stone" was convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstructing the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump commuted this sentence to 40 months of prison in 2020. Then, in the following year he granted an unconditional pardon.
Crypto-clemency: Who is in?
Trump has pardoned crypto-linked individuals in a series of cascades during his second term. He granted Ross Ulbricht a pardon in January that was unconditional and full. Ulbricht had been serving two life terms plus forty years for founding Silk Road.
Ulbricht, he said, was also a victim.
Trump pardoned BitMEX founders Arthur Hayes (left), Benjamin Delo (right), and Samuel Reed in March. The three had been convicted of violating Bank Secrecy Law 2022.
Other crypto personalities have also started to circle. Sam Bankman Fried, the founder of the now-defunct FTX Exchange and currently serving a sentence of 25 years for defrauding clients, has shifted his political views.
He expressed his admiration of Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Mots, criticised the Biden Administration’s inefficiency, and hinted that he was currently talking to Republican operatives.
SBF revealed that “I worked with Republicans much more than was previously believed.” The New York Sun.
Ver’s pardon may be difficult to obtain from the Oval Office. Elon Musk tweeted in January saying that Ver’s right to receive a pardon was lost by his renunciation of his U.S. citizenry.
