Spanish Cryptocurrency Advocate Roger Ver Files Lawsuit to Prevent Extradition to the U.S. Due to Tax-Related Accusations, According to Bloomberg
Roger Ver, famously known as "Bitcoin Jesus," is currently embroiled in a legal battle to prevent his extradition from Spain to the United States, where he faces tax evasion charges amounting to $48 million. The crypto mogul has filed a lawsuit against Spain at the European Court of Human Rights to block the extradition process.
Ver's legal team argues that Spain’s decision to extradite him violates his legal rights and due process because of the unclear and evolving regulatory environment around cryptocurrency taxation at the time of the alleged offenses. They also point to procedural concerns such as Spanish prosecutors interrogating one of Ver's lawyers and ignoring exculpatory evidence. Furthermore, his defense claims that the IRS’s exit tax used in the case may be unconstitutional, seeking to have the charges dismissed.
The charges against Ver stem from allegations that he filed a false exit tax return after renouncing his U.S. citizenship in 2014 and underreported gains from selling approximately $240 million in cryptocurrency tokens. Spanish feds arrested Ver in Spain last year, following a U.S. order for his arrest, alleging that he sold Bitcoin in 2017 without informing the IRS about the gains.
Ver is a well-known figure in the cryptocurrency industry, having been one of the earliest investors in top digital asset firms like Kraken, Ripple, and others. He gained the nickname "Bitcoin Jesus" due to his early investment in cryptocurrency and his reported practice of giving away digital coins for free.
The lawsuit claims that Spain violated Ver's legal protections by ruling to extradite him to the U.S. over tax evasion charges. Ver has refused to comment on the lawsuit to Decrypt. If convicted, he faces over 100 years in prison. Previously, he had sought a pardon from former U.S. President Donald Trump, but that request is no longer active, and public commentary, including from Elon Musk, suggests that having relinquished U.S. citizenship, Ver is ineligible for a pardon.
The potential penalties are severe, with Ver facing over 100 years in prison if convicted. However, his case highlights significant legal complexities in cryptocurrency taxation and could influence future treatment of similar cases internationally.
In a related development, President Trump has been friendly towards the crypto space, receiving financial backing and votes from people in the industry. Interestingly, Trump pardoned Bitcoin icon Ross Ulbricht and BitMEX founders, including Arthur Hayes. Ver previously expressed hope that his campaign would catch President Trump's attention, but his current legal troubles may have changed that.
Ver's extradition case is currently pending, and he is actively contesting it through legal channels in Europe. He has embarked on a campaign to get the charges dropped, arguing that the extradition order would amount to "illegitimate restrictions on his right to liberty." The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the cryptocurrency industry and international extradition laws.
- Roger Ver's legal team argues that the unclear and evolving regulatory environment around cryptocurrency taxation during the time of the alleged offenses violates his legal rights and due process in the extradition case.
- Ver, a well-known figure in the cryptocurrency industry, has been charged with tax evasion for underreporting gains from selling approximately $240 million in cryptocurrency tokens.
- The charges against Ver include allegations that he filed a false exit tax return after renouncing his U.S. citizenship in 2014 and failed to inform the IRS about gains from Bitcoin sales in 2017.
- The lawsuit filed by Ver against Spain claims that the extradition order violates his legal protections and is seeking to halt the extradition process.
- President Trump's friendly stance towards the crypto space and past pardons of figures associated with Bitcoin, like Ross Ulbricht and BitMEX founders, have raised questions about potential political influence in similar cases involving digital assets.
