Roger Ver, the founder of Bitcoin.com, has reached a “preliminary agreement” with the US Department of Justice regarding a tax fraud case, reports The New York Times.
According to the publication’s sources, “Bitcoin Jesus” has agreed to pay the government approximately $48 million. If the terms of the deal are met, Ver could avoid a prison sentence. He faced up to 109 years of imprisonment in his home country.
Spanish authorities arrested the Bitcoin.com founder at the request of the US in 2024. He was accused of concealing capital in bitcoin, filing false declarations, and misappropriating 70,000 BTC from his companies’ corporate accounts.
Ver denied the charges. In December 2024, he filed a motion to dismiss all eight counts, calling the prosecutors’ arguments “vague.” In July 2025, “Bitcoin Jesus” also appealed to the ECHR against extradition to the US.
Trump’s Pardon
In January, Ver appealed to US President Donald Trump for a pardon. Since his re-election, the politician has already freed Silk Road darknet marketplace founder Ross Ulbricht, who urges all charges against “Bitcoin Jesus” to be dropped.
Mr. President, I am an American, and I need your help. Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/WhVTZ1M1GB
— Roger Ver (@rogerkver) January 26, 2025
“Mr. President, I am an American, and I need your help. Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me,” stated the Bitcoin.com founder.
A group named Freerogernow was created in support of Ver. It includes a number of notable figures, including Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, Trump’s ex-wife Marla Maples, Forbes writer Jeffrey Tucker, and radio show host Alex Jones.
Once a close associate of the US president, Elon Musk previously ruled out the possibility of a pardon for “Bitcoin Jesus”:
“Roger Ver renounced his US citizenship. No forgiveness. Membership has its privileges.”
Community members also doubt such an outcome. According to Polymarket, 27% of users believe Trump will pardon the Bitcoin.com founder in 2025.
Back in January, Casa co-founder Jameson Lopp suggested that Ver was either refusing a pre-trial settlement out of principle or due to a lack of funds.
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