Bitcoin Pioneer Roger Ver Pleads for Trump Pardon

Roger Ver, an early adopter of Bitcoin, has launched a social media campaign pleading with U.S. President Donald Trump to pardon his tax evasion and mail fraud charges. Ver claims to be a victim of "lawfare," a term he uses to describe the misuse of legal processes to achieve political or ideological goals. He faces up to 109 years in prison if convicted and is currently awaiting extradition to the U.S.

Ver's plea for a pardon has sparked a divide among crypto proponents. Some argue that he deserves a pardon, while others believe he should face the consequences of his actions. Tesla founder Elon Musk has stated that Ver's denouncement of his U.S. citizenship makes him unworthy of a pardon. Ver has since released several videos maintaining his innocence and calling upon Trump to pardon him.

Ver's case for lawfare involves his claim that he was targeted by the U.S. government due to his political beliefs and advocacy for Bitcoin. He alleges that agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) developed a personal vendetta against him after he criticized the ATF and FBI for the Waco siege in 1993. Ver contends that this led to his 10-month federal prison term for selling fireworks without a license and ultimately resulted in his decision to renounce his U.S. citizenship.

Ver's plea for a pardon coincides with President Trump's commutation of Ross Ulbricht's sentence, the founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace. However, some argue that Ver's case is different from Ulbricht's, as Ver has not yet been extradited to the U.S. and has not seen his first day in court. Additionally, Ver's maximum potential sentence is 109 years, which is significantly higher than Ulbricht's life sentence.

Ver's chances of receiving a pardon are uncertain. While some critics do not want to see him spend the rest of his life in prison, others question his contributions to the crypto space and his past transgressions. Betting markets like Polymarket currently give Ver a 14% chance of receiving a pardon in Trump's first 100 days.