Roger Ver, also known as Bitcoin Jesus, has recently been arrested in Spain for allegedly causing a loss of nearly $50 million to the IRS. While it is believed that Ver under-reported his assets during his expatriation, some members of the crypto community suspect that his arrest is motivated by more than just tax evasion.
Crypto News Flash recently published a detailed report on Ver’s arrest, which includes allegations of mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns. This has sparked a strong reaction from the crypto community, with many believing that Ver’s arrest is a result of his controversial opinions. The US Justice Department has since released more information, revealing Ver’s deliberate efforts to evade paying nearly $50 million in taxes.
According to various reports, Ver has been deeply involved in the crypto industry for a long time. He is known for creating the “honey badger” meme and has invested in several crypto startups. However, his active involvement in Bitcoin diminished after he faced backlash from the community for his support of Bitcoin Cash (BCH) in 2017.
Digging into Ver’s past, it is revealed that he founded two companies, MemoryDealers.com and Agilestar.com, which sold computer parts in California. Ver was known for his strong anarcho-capitalist beliefs. He did, however, spend a short time in prison for selling illegal fireworks. Ver argued that this was a political lawsuit, as selling fireworks was legal in agriculture.
After serving his sentence, Ver reportedly moved to Japan in 2005 before eventually settling in St. Kitts and Nevis in 2014. Reports suggest that he began accumulating Bitcoin in 2011 and even distributed some to his companies. By 2014, Ver owned 131,000 Bitcoins, with 73,000 BTC registered under his companies’ names. At that time, Bitcoin was trading at $871. In 2017, Ver sold most of his Bitcoins for $240 million.
While living in St. Kitts, Ver decided to renounce his US citizenship. To do so, he hired a lawyer to calculate his exit tax and an appraiser to evaluate his company’s value. However, the indictment against Ver alleges that he provided false information to conceal the true number of Bitcoins he owned, as well as those owned by his companies. It is reported that Ver claimed to have given his partner 25,000 Bitcoins as a gift in 2011.
Some reports suggest that the IRS investigation involved blockchain analysis to determine the number of Bitcoins owned by Ver and his companies. This has led many in the crypto community, including Ripple Labs’ CTO David Schwartz, to believe that the US authorities have a dislike for Ver and his beliefs. Others speculate that Ver’s arrest may be linked to his recently published book, “Hijacking Bitcoin.”
In conclusion, Roger Ver’s arrest in Spain for allegedly causing a significant loss to the IRS has sparked controversy within the crypto community. While some believe that tax evasion is the sole reason for his arrest, others suspect that it is motivated by his controversial opinions and recent book publication. The details of Ver’s involvement in the crypto industry and his efforts to evade taxes have also come to light.