Roger Ver Nears $48 Million Tax Fraud Settlement with U.S. DOJ

Early Bitcoin (BTC) investor and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) advocate Roger Ver, widely known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” is reportedly close to settling tax fraud charges with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). According to The New York Times, the proposed settlement could see Ver pay approximately $48 million in back taxes related to profits from selling tens of thousands of bitcoins.

Ver, once a leading evangelist for Bitcoin before shifting support to Bitcoin Cash, was indicted in April 2024 and later arrested in Spain. The DOJ accused him of failing to report capital gains and neglecting to file U.S. tax returns after renouncing his U.S. citizenship. Following his arrest, Ver filed a lawsuit to challenge extradition to the United States.

The DOJ’s Los Angeles office, which led the case, referred media inquiries to Washington, D.C., where officials declined to comment. Ver also told reporters he could not speak about the case. Court filings indicate a hearing is scheduled for December 15, 2025, though the final settlement terms may still change pending court approval.

In an unexpected development, Ver enlisted Roger Stone, a close associate of former U.S. President Donald Trump, to lobby on his behalf. The lobbying disclosure filed earlier this year confirmed Stone’s efforts to negotiate a resolution.

Trump, who returned to office earlier in 2025, has issued multiple presidential pardons to prominent crypto figures, including Ross Ulbricht, Arthur Hayes, and executives from BitMEX. Meanwhile, Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has reportedly applied for a presidential pardon following his four-month prison sentence related to anti-money laundering violations.

If finalized, Ver’s $48 million settlement would conclude one of the most high-profile crypto tax cases in recent years — marking another turning point in the ongoing clash between cryptocurrency pioneers and U.S. regulators.