On April 25, 2024, Roger Ver — once known as “Bitcoin Jesus” for his early Bitcoin evangelism and one of the space’s most polarizing figures — was arrested in Spain and charged by the US Department of Justice with tax evasion, filing false tax returns, and tax fraud in connection with his 2014 US citizenship renunciation. The indictment alleges Ver concealed approximately $240 million in Bitcoin holdings from the IRS and fraudulently undervalued them to avoid $48 million in exit tax — violating the IRC Section 877A expatriation rules that tax unrealized gains when a wealthy US citizen renounces citizenship.
Who Is Roger Ver?
Ver was among the earliest Bitcoin investors and evangelists (purchasing BTC below $1), earning the “Bitcoin Jesus” nickname for his enthusiasm. He founded Bitcoin.com, funded dozens of early Bitcoin startups, and created the world’s first Bitcoin exchange (memoryCoin).
In 2013, Ver controversially renounced his US citizenship and became a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis — reportedly for both ideological reasons (libertarian philosophy against the nation-state) and financial reasons (St. Kitts has no capital gains tax). He later became a vocal advocate for Bitcoin Cash (BCH) following the 2017 Bitcoin block size war, which created deep animosity with Bitcoin maximalists.
The Charges
The DOJ indictment (filed in SDNY, unsealed April 2024) alleges:
- Failing to report Bitcoin holdings to the IRS at time of expatriation: In 2014, Ver was required to file an exit tax return valuing all assets at fair market value as if sold on the date of expatriation. Ver allegedly disclosed ~17,000 BTC personally but failed to disclose ~70,000 BTC held through two corporate entities
- Fraudulent undervaluation: The BTC that was reported was allegedly undervalued significantly
- Post-expatriation sales not reported: Ver allegedly sold approximately 70,000 BTC after expatriation, with proceeds subject to US tax (expatriation tax rules apply for 10 years for certain covered expatriates), and did not report this to the IRS
- Total tax loss to IRS: Approximately $48 million
The Arrest
Ver was arrested by Spanish authorities in Madrid on April 25, 2024, at the request of the US government under the US-Spain extradition treaty. He was released on bail pending extradition proceedings. Spanish courts must determine whether to extradite Ver; he has contested extradition.
Context: Bitcoin Cash Advocacy
Ver’s arrest rekindled the contentious history of the 2017 Bitcoin fork. BCH was created by those who wanted larger blocks for on-chain scaling rather than the SegWit/Lightning approach Bitcoin took. Ver was BCH’s most prominent proponent and his websites (Bitcoin.com) promoted BCH as the “real Bitcoin” — a framing that infuriated BTC maximalists. The animosity between Ver and BTC maximalists led to some celebrating his arrest — a reaction many in the broader crypto space condemned.
Legal Status
As of early 2025, Ver remained in Spain fighting extradition. If extradited and convicted, he faces up to 109 years in prison, though sentencing guidelines would realistically yield far less. He denied all charges through public statements and legal filings.
Related Terms
Sources
- DOJ Press Release (2024). “Roger Ver Charged with Tax Evasion, Filing False Returns, and Fraud.” US Department of Justice, April 25, 2024.
- DOJ Indictment — US v. Roger Keith Ver (2024). Southern District of New York.
- Sigalos, M. (2024). “Roger Ver Arrested in Spain.” CNBC, April 30, 2024.
- IRC Section 877A (26 U.S.C. § 877A). Internal Revenue Code.
- Popper, N. (2015). Digital Gold. HarperCollins.