Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE ($0.32)), has opposed a presidential pardon for Bitcoin Cash (BCH ($411.51)) advocate and early Bitcoin investor Roger Ver.
“Roger Ver has renounced his US citizenship. There is no amnesty for Ver. Membership (citizenship) comes with privileges,” Musk said on X (formerly Twitter) in response to increasing calls for Ver’s pardon.
Musk’s stance takes on significance given his close ties to US President Donald Trump, who recently fulfilled an election promise he made to the crypto community by pardoning Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.
Ver, who was arrested in Spain in April 2024, faces charges of fraud, tax evasion and filing false tax returns. The US Department of Justice alleges that Ver concealed his Bitcoin ownership from the IRS, resulting in a $48 million tax loss. However, Ver claims the charges are baseless and are retaliation for his outspoken criticism of the US government.
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“I have been terrorized for decades by rogue US government agents who hate American freedom,” Ver said, adding that he renounced his US citizenship in 2014 after leaving the country in 2006.
Following Ulbricht’s release, some in the crypto community have called on the Trump administration to show clemency to others, including Tornado Cash developers, blockchain researcher Virgil Griffith, and Ver.
Musk’s comment reignited a long-running debate about Ver’s controversial role in the crypto space. Known for his advocacy of Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ver alienated many in the Bitcoin community after supporting its controversial hard fork in 2017.
Others have criticized Ver’s actions in the crypto world, believing his prosecution was excessive. “Whatever you think of Roger Ver, he does not deserve a life sentence,” said Simon Dixon, co-founder and CEO of Bnk To The Future.
Kraken Co-Founder Jesse Powell also took issue with Musk’s comments, saying: “The ‘no citizenship, no amnesty’ rhetoric is disgusting. Whatever you think of Roger, you can’t ignore his contributions to early Bitcoin and support the unjust abuse of power.”
*This is not investment advice.
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