Roger Ver, known as “ Bitcoin Jesus,” is facing extradition to the United States from Spain, where he could face a life sentence of up to 109 years for alleged tax evasion. Ver has appealed to former President Donald Trump, calling him his “last hope” to stop the extradition, claiming the charges are politically motivated and stem from his advocacy for Bitcoin rather than tax evasion. In a video shared on January 26, Ver urged Trump for intervention, stating, “Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me.” He is accused of evading $48 million in taxes by hiding $240 million from a 2017 Bitcoin sale. Ver denies wrongdoing, asserting that the charges are retaliation for his cryptocurrency activism, which challenges traditional financial systems. He renounced his US citizenship years ago, citing fears of government targeting due to his political beliefs. Elon Musk initially expressed interest in supporting a pardon for Ver but recently reversed his position. When asked on X about the possibility of clemency, Musk replied, “Roger Ver gave up his US citizenship. No pardon for Ver. Membership has its privileges.” This response highlighted the significance of Ver’s decision to renounce his citizenship and its impact on his chances of receiving support. Ver explained that his decision to relinquish US citizenship was driven by a need to avoid political persecution. He argued that his activism made him a target, referencing a previous unjust imprisonment. Despite this, the odds of Trump granting clemency to Ver within the first 100 days of a hypothetical presidency have fallen to just 12% on Polymarket, a prediction platform. Supporters on X have defended Ver, emphasizing that he renounced his citizenship out of self-preservation. One user wrote, “It’s unfair to hold this against him now when he was just trying to protect himself from further persecution.” Ver’s legal troubles have drawn comparisons to Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder who received clemency during Trump’s presidency. Ver was arrested in February while attending a cryptocurrency conference in Barcelona. In December, he asked a US court to dismiss the charges against him, maintaining that the case is rooted in politics rather than legitimate legal grounds.
