Roger Ver, the early Bitcoin evangelist famously known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” has reached a $48 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in a high-profile tax fraud case.
The development comes after a public plea for presidential intervention in his lawsuit earlier this year.
$48 Million DOJ Deal
The New York Times reported on Thursday that the cryptocurrency investor has entered into a tentative deferred-prosecution agreement with federal authorities to resolve criminal charges filed against him last year.
This follows him being accused of fraud and tax evasion in 2024 for allegedly failing to pay $48 million in taxes on his digital currency holdings. Under the terms of the agreement, the accused is required to pay the same amount to the government.
The deal, which has yet to be filed in court and remains subject to change, says that the accusations will be dropped if he complies with all conditions set by the DOJ.
Ver has, however, remained silent on the matter. “I’d LOVE to say more, but I will follow my tax lawyer’s advice like I’ve been doing for decades,” he wrote to NY Times reporters. “Unfortunately, that means ‘no comment,’” he added.
The former California resident renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014 and was arrested in Spain last year following the Justice Department’s announcement of plans to extradite him. Prosecutors accused him of concealing the true value of his Bitcoin holdings to avoid paying exit taxes owed when relinquishing his citizenship.
Roger Ver Enlisted Trump Allies in Fraud Case
During the legal proceedings, the 46-year-old reportedly hired several people with ties to U.S. President Donald Trump. The media outlet revealed that he had paid $600,000 to Roger Stone to help challenge the tax charges. He also engaged lawyers David Schoen and Christopher M. Kise, and worked with a lobbying firm run by Trump fundraiser Brian Ballard.
In January this year, Ver had asked for assistance from the president, claiming in a social media video that he was being targeted for his political beliefs and advocacy for cryptocurrency. The Bitcoin proponent also shared that he was facing a potential sentence of over 100 years for his activism.
Since Trump began his second term, the U.S. government’s stance on cryptocurrency has changed a lot. The SEC has dropped several lawsuits, including cases against Coinbase and other major firms, reversing the strict enforcement seen under Joe Biden’s administration.
Early in his term, the president also pardoned Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road marketplace, and later the BitMEX founders convicted of anti–money laundering violations. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is also seeking clemency for his money-laundering charges.
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