- Along with Sam Bankman Freed and Chao Changpeng, Roger Ver is also under surveillance by the US government.
- The diverse reactions within the crypto community highlight the industry's complexities amid legal action.
2024 is proving to be a golden age for cryptocurrencies, with exponential growth for this asset class coinciding with a surge in crypto voters.
Notably, a significant portion of this surge in cryptocurrency adoption occurred after the 2020 presidential election. After Biden’s election, there was an unprecedented wave of retail adoption in the crypto industry.
However, as the 2024 US elections approach, unexpected developments are occurring.
The US Department of Justice has announced that it will indict Roger Ver, also known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” on suspicion of tax evasion.
diverse perspectives
Various executives have expressed their opinions on this matter, speculating that it is an anti-crypto stance within the Biden administration.
Highlighting the series of arrests by the U.S. government, including Sam Bankman Freed, Chao Changpeng, and now Roger Ver, david shearspointed out a cryptocurrency expert.
“The United States is aggressively targeting cryptocurrencies. Look at the recent targets. If you think you are not a target, think again. They will come after us all someday. We are We must fight!”
Jane Addams, a 2024 U.S. House of Representatives candidate and Bitcoin supporter, echoed similar sentiments, saying:
Source: Jane Addams/Twitter
However, some executives believed in the steps taken by the US and expressed concerns about Bitcoin educator Barr. Dan Held Said,
“Good. He was a net negative for Bitcoin.”
Adding to the fray is a claim from X user @koinosthegoat.
Source: @koinosthegoat/Twitter
These contrasting perspectives highlight the complexity and divisions within the cryptocurrency space and suggest potential implications for the upcoming US election.
What more is there?
In fact, Barr was arrested in Spain on April 30th after facing criminal charges in the United States for crimes including mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns.
The Justice Department alleges that Barr evaded taxes totaling $48 million in 2017 through the sale of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. According to a press release from the Department of Justice:
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
However, despite renouncing his US citizenship in 2014, Barr faces extradition to the US, sparking criticism from crypto veterans and social media users.
Amidst this criticism, kim dot coma cryptocurrency veteran who was in the same position himself a few years ago said:
“This indictment has nothing to do with tax evasion. This is a malicious attempt to smear Roger and punish him for exposing and opposing the crimes of the American Empire.”
As things develop, it will be interesting to see how the upcoming US elections shape the future of cryptocurrencies in the US.
