The crypto community has been buzzing with strong reactions following the arrest of early Bitcoin investor and Bitcoin cash advocate Roger Ver on tax evasion charges in the United States.
While many within the community criticized the arrest, some justified it due to Ver’s anti-Bitcoin stance in recent years. One of the few who applauded Ver’s arrest was long-term Bitcoin proponent Dan Held, who stated that Ver had been a negative influence on Bitcoin.
Speculation has arisen that Ver’s arrest may be related to his involvement in various investigations, including those involving Binance, Genesis, and Three Arrows Capital, according to a crypto-centered X account called Pledditor.
Several cryptocurrency veterans expressed their disapproval of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) pursuing tax evasion charges against Ver in the US, considering he renounced his citizenship in 2014. Ver, who has been a Japanese citizen since then, was arrested in Spain on April 30 based on criminal charges in the US, including mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns.
The DOJ alleges that Ver evaded taxes amounting to $48 million on his Bitcoin and cryptocurrency sales in 2017. He now faces extradition to the US.
Ver’s arrest has prompted criticism from crypto veterans who believe that US law enforcement agencies are misusing their power. Social media users were quick to point out that Ver renounced his US citizenship in 2014, and the tax evasion charges are related to the sale of assets in 2017.
Paul Sztorc, founder and CEO of LayerTwo Labs, tweeted that Ver followed the law when he legally left the US for Japan. Sztorc stated that Ver paid his taxes in Japan and also fulfilled his tax obligations in the US. Despite legally paying taxes for nine years, Ver was arrested in Spain a decade later. Sztorc emphasized that this situation does not align with the concept of government by the consent of the governed.
Crypto veteran Kim Dotcom, who has also faced government enforcement actions, argued that the indictment against Ver has nothing to do with tax evasion but is instead a “witch hunt” against someone who opposed US wars and foreign and domestic policies. Dotcom mentioned Ver’s support for Julian Assange and press freedom, asserting that Ver’s actions speak louder than words.
Jane Adams, a Bitcoin proponent and candidate for the US House of Representatives in 2024, described Ver’s arrest as a direct attack on dissent. She claimed that the US government’s pursuit of Ver is driven by vindictiveness, as Ver advocates for press freedom and opposes US imperialism.
Some speculate that Ver’s arrest is part of a broader crackdown on the crypto industry by the US government. Bitcoin proponent DavidShares suggested that the US is aggressively targeting cryptocurrencies. In another post, he claimed that the Biden administration is attempting to enact anti-cryptocurrency enforcement and regulations before the upcoming presidential elections in November.
In a magazine article titled “Roger Ver’s Next Life: Cryonics Meets Crypto,” the future of Ver’s involvement in the crypto world is explored.