Key Takeaways
- Roger Ver, 'Bitcoin Jesus,' charged with evading $48 million in taxes.
- Ver allegedly sold 70,000 BTC in 2017 without reporting capital gains.
- Mixed reactions in the Bitcoin community, with some harsh criticisms from peers.
Roger Ver, an early Bitcoin advocate often referred to as “Bitcoin Jesus,” is currently facing extradition to the U.S. after being charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with tax fraud and other financial crimes.
Alleged financial misconduct
The Justice Department accuses Ver of evading nearly $50 million in taxes.
The charges, filed on February 15 but revealed on April 29, allege that Ver did not report capital gains from selling approximately 70,000 BTC in June 2017, totaling around $240 million.
Community reactions
Reactions to the arrest have been polarized.
Dan Held, a prominent figure in the Bitcoin community, expressed strong disapproval of Ver, attributing significant negative impacts to Ver’s actions within the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Ver, who also supported Bitcoin Cash, has not publicly responded to the charges.
