The legal team of Bitcoin influencer Roger Ver, known as “Bitcoin Jesus” who was arrested in February during a crypto conference in Barcelona, has filed motion to dismiss the justice department (DoJ )indictment claiming the charges against him are politically motivated.
Ver’s legal team, which also includes top firms like Steptoe LLP, claim that Ver’s actions were based on legal counsel’s advice, as they highlighted the unclear tax regulations for cryptos during that period. The motion reads, “Fundamentally, on the false and anachronistic pretense that U.S. tax rules provided meaningful guidance to those who, like Ver, were among the pioneers in the now mainstream cryptocurrency economy.” The legal team also claimed that the DOJ continued to selectively quote and include documents undermining its case and violating Ver’s attorney-client privilege.
Roger Ver’s (Bitcoin Jesus) Legal Team Cites Govt Overreach
The legal team argued that the IRS issued clear guidelines only after Ver’s departure from the US. Therefore, his lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss, citing constitutional ‘overreach’ and alleged misuse of privileged communications by the Justice Department. They asserted that Ver tried to comply with the law in good faith, relying on professional advice to handle complex tax issues.
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Ver’s arrest followed an indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in California, accusing him of failing to pay $50 million in taxes on Bitcoin sales from 2017 and underreporting his assets after giving up his US citizenship in 2014.
The case had triggered an outrage within the crypto industry , with many claiming that Ver’s indictment was suggestive of what they call the Biden administration’s “war on crypto”.
Roger Ver has been a pivotal figure in the crypto world since 2011, investing in early startups like Ripple, Kraken, and BitPay. He moved to Japan in 2006 and renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014, becoming a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Ver is currently out on bail in Spain, awaiting possible extradition for a trial set for February 2025.
Ver’s supporters hope that Trump’s crypto-friendly administration will bring justice to Ver and drop the charges.
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