Roger Ver, the early cryptocurrency investor known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” has reached a $49.9 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to resolve allegations of mail fraud and tax evasion, according to a court filing on Tuesday.
Ver entered a deferred prosecution agreement in federal court in Los Angeles that will allow him to avoid prison time if he complies with the deal’s conditions. The arrangement, which comes under the Trump administration, provides that the indictment will be dismissed after one month, provided Ver abides by the agreement. The settlement covers his tax liability, civil penalties, and interest owed to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The case accused Ver, 46, of evading at least $48 million in taxes following his 2014 decision to renounce U.S. citizenship after becoming a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis. He was arrested in Spain in April 2024 and later extradited to the U.S. The DOJ alleged that Ver concealed ownership of significant bitcoin holdings and failed to pay exit taxes required under federal law.
Ver was represented by Christopher Kise, a lawyer who has also represented Donald Trump, while the DOJ’s lead official on the case, Ketan Bhirud, previously represented Ivanka Trump in private litigation.
In a statement, Ver said he was “grateful this case has been dismissed” and thanked the administration for its “leadership and professionalism.” A vocal libertarian and former Bitcoin.com CEO, Ver became one of the earliest advocates of cryptocurrency adoption, earning his moniker for his evangelical promotion of bitcoin in its early years.