- Vitalik Buterin and industry leaders argue that the potential life sentence for Roger Ver is excessive.
- Elon Musk opposes a pardon for Ver, citing his relinquished American citizenship.
Roger Ver, once known as “Bitcoin Jesus” for his early advocacy of Bitcoin [BTC], is now facing serious legal troubles.
He has been indicted for alleged tax fraud and could potentially face a life sentence.
This situation has sparked strong reactions within the cryptocurrency industry.
Vitalik Buterin Defends Bitcoin Jesus
Among Ver’s supporters is Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum [ETH], who criticized the severity of the potential punishment as “absurd” and stated,
“Going to prison for the rest of your life for non-violent tax offenses is absurd. The case against Roger seems very politically motivated; like with Ross Ulbricht, many people and companies have faced far worse accusations yet received much lighter sentences than what Roger is facing.”
He further suggested that regulators should allow Ver to resolve unpaid taxes through an agreement rather than imprisonment.
“Genuine good-faith mistakes should be handled by allowing the actor to repay taxes if necessary with interest and penalties, not through prosecution,”
Elon Musk Against Other Industry Experts
However, Elon Musk, associated with Doge, has withdrawn his support for a pardon for Roger Ver, stating that his renounced American citizenship disqualifies him from receiving clemency.
“Roger Ver has given up his American citizenship. No pardon for Ver. Membership has its privileges.”
Still, several industry leaders have sided with Buterin, including Ross Ulbricht, the former Silk Road operator who received clemency and expressed support for Ver.
Ulbricht stated,
“No one should spend the rest of their life in prison for taxes. Let him pay the tax (if applicable) and be done with it.”
Many in the crypto community see similarities between Ver’s case and Ulbricht’s, with supporters arguing that the punishment is too severe.
Commenting on this, Jesse Powell, co-founder of Kraken, also questioned the charges, suggesting that authorities might be unfairly targeting Ver to complicate his legal standing.
“The reality is they just don’t like him and they want to get him, and they will use any excuse they can to do so or to make his hell last as long as they can.”
Roger Ver’s Plea
Amid these developments, Roger Ver has turned to social media to plead his case, directly appealing to President Donald Trump for support.
In a January post, he urged the president to intervene, claiming he is being unfairly targeted.
Ver also shared a video portraying himself as a victim of political persecution.
Recently, he has reiterated this stance, suggesting that the charges against him are politically motivated.
“I have always tried to pay what the law requires. This is not about taxes.”
PolyMarket Trends
Despite the growing support from industry leaders, the odds remain against Roger Ver receiving a presidential pardon.
Current data from prediction market PolyMarket indicates only a 7% chance that Trump will grant him clemency within his first 100 days in office.
As speculation continues, the question remains—will the optimism of crypto advocates prevail, or will Elon Musk’s skepticism prove justified?
Source: https://ambccrypto.com/bitcoin-jesus-aka-rouger-vers-potential-life-pheder-is-absurd-says-vitalik-buterin/
Résumé: Roger Ver, connu autrefois comme « Bitcoin Jésus », fait face à des accusations de fraude fiscale et risque une peine de réclusion à perpétuité. Vitalik Buterin d’Ethereum critique la sévérité de la sanction, la qualifiant d’« absurde », tandis qu’Elon Musk refuse tout pardon en raison de la perte de la citoyenneté américaine de Ver. D’autres figures de l’industrie, comme Ross Ulbricht, soutiennent aussi le fait que personne ne devrait purger une peine sévère pour des infractions fiscales. Ver se défend activement sur les réseaux sociaux, plaidant pour sa cause et sollicitant le soutien de Donald Trump. Les chances d’un pardon présidentielle restent faibles selon les marchés de prédictions.
