Ross Ulbricht has expressed his support for Roger Ver, the former CEO of Bitcoin.com, who faces a serious legal battle over charges of tax evasion amounting to $50 million.
In an X post, Ulbricht wrote “Roger Ver was there for me when I was down and needed help. Now Roger needs our support. 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.”
Ver Fights Extradition Case and Potential Jail Time
Roger Ver, recently appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for assistance as he faces a significant judicial struggle over $50 million in tax evasion accusations.
Ver, who was detained in Spain in 2024, is presently contesting his extradition to the US, where US prosecutors have requested that he be sentenced to 109 years in jail.
“I am a U.S. citizen and need Trump’s help,” Ver said in a video that was uploaded on X (Twitter) on January 26.
Crypto Community Sides With Ver Over Tax Evasion Case
Since Ver has a lengthy history of supporting Bitcoin and its potential to upend established financial systems, his case has drawn attention from both the cryptocurrency community and outside of it.
But things took a drastic turn when Elon Musk, who had previously shown sympathy for Ver’s predicament, changed his mind about the prospect of a pardon.
Ver, who gave up his U.S. citizenship years ago, has maintained that the accusations against him are politically motivated and have something to do with his involvement in cryptocurrency activism. He has been an outspoken opponent of established financial institutions and supporter of Bitcoin’s revolutionary potential.
Many people believe that Ver’s legal issues are a direct result of his vocal involvement in the cryptocurrency movement, which may have made him a target due to his opposition to the current quo.
Ver’s appeal to Trump during the ongoing court proceedings is a last-ditch attempt to evade extradition and life in prison. Ver hopes the president will step in and halt the extradition process, even though he had renounced his citizenship.
Ross Ulbricht’s Support For Ver Comes Similar to His Case
Ross’ support for Ver comes as Ulbricht had faced a similar situation in the past.
In 2015, Ross Ulbricht, the man behind the Silk Road dark web marketplace, was found guilty of money laundering, hacking, and conspiracy to smuggle drugs and given a life sentence.
Before the FBI shut it down, his website enabled illicit transactions. Supporters of Ulbricht contend that he was a scapegoat for the government’s problems with digital currency and internet privacy and that his sentence was excessively severe. In January 2025, Donald Trump pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.
Advocates have been urging clemency, pointing to his rehabilitation and the harshness of his sentence, in an attempt to obtain a pardon. His case is still a contentious illustration of legal concerns in the digital age.
Also Read: Elon Musk Rejects Roger Ver’s Pardon Request, Cites Ver’s Giving Up U.S. Citizenship As The Reason