Roger Ver Pays Roger Stone $600K to Fight US Crypto Tax Charges, Highlighting Regulatory Risks for Bitcoin Holders

Bitcoin pioneer Roger Ver, nicknamed ’Bitcoin Jesus’, has engaged political consultant and Trump ally Roger Stone with a $600,000 payment to support his legal and lobbying battle against the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) crypto tax charges. Ver, who renounced his US citizenship in 2014, is accused of evading taxes, committing mail fraud, and filing false returns related to $240 million in unreported Bitcoin sales. The DOJ alleges Ver owes $48 million due to the US ’exit tax’ law, which applies to expatriates and targets unrealized capital gains, including those from cryptocurrencies. Stone’s advisory role involves lobbying against exit tax provisions, emphasizing how such regulations could stifle crypto investment and innovation. He has also called publicly for a presidential pardon for Ver. On the legal front, Ver’s lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss the DOJ case, arguing that existing tax regulations lack clarity for early crypto adopters. Ver was arrested in Spain, released on bail, and is now contesting extradition to the US. This high-profile case spotlights the collision of US crypto regulation, tax enforcement, and political lobbying. Its outcome may set legal and policy precedents for US treatment of crypto wealth and tax obligations for former citizens. Crypto traders should monitor this situation closely, as its resolution could reshape the landscape for large-scale crypto holders considering expatriation or facing complex tax liabilities, particularly as US political attitudes toward digital assets become more favorable.