‘Bitcoin Jesus’ aka Roger Ver’s potential life sentence is ‘absurd,’ says Vitalik Buterin

• Vitalik Buterin and industry leaders argue that Roger Ver’s potential life sentence is excessive.
• Elon Musk opposes Ver’s pardon, citing his renounced U.S. citizenship.

Roger Ver, once hailed as “Bitcoin Jesus” for his early advocacy of Bitcoin [BTC], now faces serious legal trouble.

Indicted for alleged tax fraud, Ver could potentially receive a life sentence.

As expected, this has sparked strong reactions across the crypto industry.

Vitalik Buterin defends Bitcoin Jesus

Among his supporters is Ethereum [ETH] co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who criticized the severity of the potential punishment as “absurd” and said, 

“Going to prison for the rest of your life over non-violent tax offenses is absurd. The case against Roger seems very politically motivated; like with Ross Ulbricht, there have been plenty of people and corporations who have been accused of far worse and yet faced sentences far milder than what Roger is facing.”

He further suggested that regulators should permit Ver to resolve any unpaid taxes through a settlement, rather than facing imprisonment.

“Genuine good faith mistakes should be treated by giving the actor the opportunity to pay back taxes if needed with interest and penalties, not with prosecution,”

Elon Musk vs. other industry experts

However, Elon Musk, associated with the D.O.G.E. organization, has withdrawn his support for Roger Ver’s pardon. He stated that Ver’s renunciation of U.S. citizenship disqualifies him from receiving it.

“Roger Ver gave up his US citizenship. No pardon for Ver. Membership has its privileges.”

Nonetheless, several industry leaders have sided with Buterin, including Ross Ulbricht, the former Silk Road operator who recently received clemency and has voiced support for Ver.

 Ulbricht stated,

“No one should spend the rest of their life in prison over taxes. Let him pay the tax (if any) and be done with it.”

That being said, many in the crypto community see similarities between Ver’s and Ulbricht’s case, where supporters argued the punishment was too severe.

Remarking on the same, Jesse Powell, Kraken’s co-founder, has also cast doubt on the charges, suggesting that authorities may be unfairly targeting Ver to complicate his legal standing.

“The reality is, they just don’t like him and they want to get him, and they will use any excuse they can to get him or make his life hell for as long as they can.” 

Roger Ver’s plead

Amidst these developments, Roger Ver too has turned to social media to plead his case, directly reaching out to President Donald Trump for support.

In a January post, he urged the President to intervene, claiming he was being unfairly targeted.

Ver also released a video portraying himself as a victim of political persecution.

More recently, he has reinforced this stance, suggesting that the charges against him are politically driven.

“I have always tried to pay what the law requires. This isn’t about taxes.”

Polymarket trend

Despite growing support from industry leaders, the odds remain stacked against Roger Ver’s chances of receiving a presidential pardon.

Predictions market data from Polymarket currently suggests only a 7% likelihood that Trump will grant him clemency within his first 100 days in office.

Therefore, as speculation continues, the question remains—will crypto advocates’ optimism prevail, or will Elon Musk’s skepticism prove accurate?