Ross Ulbricht speaks out in support of Roger Ver, calls for his freedom

Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road, has spoken out in defense of Roger Ver, a well-known Bitcoin advocate and early investor in several cryptocurrency businesses. In a recent message on X, Ulbricht expressed gratitude for Ver’s past support and urged people to stand by him during his current legal troubles.

“Roger Ver was there for me when I was down and needed help. Now Roger needs our support,” Ulbricht said. 

Ulbricht criticized the idea that Ver should spend his life in prison over tax issues. “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. #FreeRoger,” he wrote.

Ver, often called “Bitcoin Jesus” for his early role in promoting Bitcoin, has been a controversial figure in the cryptocurrency world. He has supported Bitcoin Cash, a fork of Bitcoin, and has often criticized government interference in financial systems. 

Ver is facing legal trouble related to unpaid taxes. In 2014, Ver chose to give up his U.S. citizenship, motivated by his disapproval of U.S. tax regulations, his libertarian philosophy, and a deep-seated skepticism towards government authorities. 

This move was intended to protect him from possible legal actions under U.S. jurisdiction. He called the decision “one of the hardest and saddest” he had ever faced, confessing, “because America is my home.”

Following this, Ver acquired citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis, a diminutive Caribbean country celebrated for its citizenship-by-investment scheme. This change not only eased his tax burden but also aligned more closely with his libertarian beliefs.

Yet in 2022, Ver found himself in Spain, reportedly due to complications renewing his Saint Kitts and Nevis passport. He openly discussed his struggles with travel documents, which prompted his temporary stay in Spain.

Throughout this period, Ver remained a vibrant figure in the cryptocurrency community, persistently championing Bitcoin Cash and supporting other ventures within the blockchain domain.

By the first quarter of 2024, Ver was apprehended in Spain on allegations of evading U.S. taxes. In December, his legal representative moved to have the charges, concerning supposed tax evasion of no less than $48 million, dismissed.

In late January, Roger Ver called on U.S. President Donald Trump for help, saying, “I need your help in this lawfare, and allow me to come home so that I can help make America great again,” in a video posted on X.

While this move has been met with criticism, with Casa co-founder calling Ver a non-American and suggesting he isn’t eligible for a pardon, and Elon Musk re-echoing similar sentiment with his “No pardon for Ver. Membership has its privileges” comment, Ross Ulbricht is eager to see his fellow Bitcoiner released.

Ross Ulbricht created and operated Silk Road, an online marketplace on the dark web accessible only with special software. Launched in 2011, it allowed anonymous trade using Bitcoin but quickly became a hub for illegal drugs and banned items.

For over two years, Silk Road attracted thousands of users by offering privacy and security. Authorities spent years investigating and tracking Bitcoin transactions to identify its operator.

In October 2013, the FBI arrested Ulbricht in a San Francisco library, seizing his laptop with crucial evidence. In 2015, he was convicted of multiple crimes, including money laundering and drug distribution, and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

On January 22, 2025, two days after Trump took office, Ross Ulbricht was pardoned and released from prison.