Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace, is now fighting for the freedom of his friend, Roger Ver, also known as “Bitcoin Jesus.” He was pardoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump making 11 years in prison for operating Silk Road, a dark-web marketplace where people bought drugs and other illegal items through the use of Bitcoin.
Now a free man, Ulbricht asks Trump to assist Roger Ver, arrested in Spain on U.S. tax evasion charges. The charge is that Ver failed to report $240 million in Bitcoins sales and pay $48 million in taxes after renouncing his U.S. citizenship in 2014. He could be jailed for up to 109 years if convicted.
Ulbricht wrote on X (formerly Twitter), saying Ver stood by his side while he was in prison and now it was time to do the same for him. He thinks Ver should be allowed to pay taxes and move on with his life.
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Ver, who denies the charges, has also called on Trump to help him, claiming only the former president can save him. A campaign called “Free Roger” has already been started by his supporters, calling for a pardon.
A part of Trump’s promise to the crypto community was pardoning Ulbricht, and a few think he may do the same for Ver. However, experts say Ver’s chances are low to get clemency.
Also read: Trump Pushes to Make America The Crypto Capital at FII Summit Amid Global Challenges
