Ross Ulbricht Calls for Roger Ver’s Release

Ross Ulbricht, the infamous Silk Road creator, has called for Roger Ver’s release from detention following his arrest in Spain over alleged Bitcoin tax fraud.

Ver was arrested in Spain following a U.S. Department of Justice indictment alleging that the early Bitcoin (BTC) investor committed various tax violations worth $50 million.

Federal prosecutors claim Ver underreported his Bitcoin gains and failed to file the correct tax returns. Ver, who renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014, denied the charges and accused the U.S. government of overreach.

Ulbricht tweeted via X.com on Feb. 20, “Roger Ver was there for me when I was down and needed help. Now Roger needs our support.” Ulbricht knows America’s justice system well, having spent over 11 years in a maximum-security prison for his role in the online black market, and he was recently granted a pardon by President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, tax allegations against Ver could result in the so-called “Bitcoin Jesus” serving up to 20 years in prison. The DOJ charged Ver with three counts of mail fraud, two counts of tax evasion, and three counts of filing false tax returns.

The mail fraud charges alone each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Ulbricht remarked, “No one should spend the rest of their life in prison over taxes. Let him pay the tax (if any) and be done with it.” Crypto lawyer James Murphy, known as MetaLawMan, echoed Ulbricht’s sentiments and expected the Justice Department to drop the case.

> It is unusual for prosecutors to pursue someone for miscalculating their “exit tax” 10 years after they renounced their citizenship. The prosecution of @rogerkver appears to be part of the Biden administration’s coordinated attack on crypto. I would expect the Trump DOJ to drop the case.
> — MetaLawMan (@MetaLawMan) February 20, 2025

Read more: Legal experts weigh in on the case against Roger Ver