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‘Bitcoin Jesus’ Roger Ver settles U.S. tax evasion charges in $49.9 million deal

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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.

India Orders $601 Million Tax Demand from Samsung for Telecom Imports

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India’s customs authorities have issued a significant tax demand against Samsung, ordering the company and its executives to pay $601 million in back taxes and penalties for allegedly dodging tariffs on essential telecom equipment. This demand represents a substantial portion of Samsung’s $955 million net profit in India for the previous year and is one of the largest such demands in recent years.

The issue revolves around Samsung’s importation of critical transmission components used in mobile towers, which were allegedly misclassified to avoid tariffs of 10% or 20%. The components, primarily used by Mukesh Ambani’s telecom giant Reliance Jio, were deemed by Indian officials to be misclassified in a way that avoided tariffs. Despite warnings from Indian tax authorities in 2023, Samsung contended that the components did not attract the tariffs, and argued that its classification practices had been longstanding.

The Indian authorities, however, determined that Samsung had “knowingly and intentionally presented false documents” to evade taxes, accusing the company of violating Indian laws and business ethics. As a result, Samsung was ordered to pay 44.6 billion rupees ($520 million) in unpaid taxes, along with an additional penalty, while seven Indian executives face fines totaling $81 million.

Samsung is considering its legal options, asserting that it complied with Indian tax laws. The dispute has heightened concerns among foreign companies in India, particularly as the country intensifies oversight of foreign imports. The case also comes amid other high-profile tax disputes involving global companies, such as Volkswagen’s ongoing legal battle over a $1.4 billion tax demand.

Aviva Accused of Dodging Indian Tax and Compensation Rules with Fake Invoices and Cash Payments

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An Indian tax agency has accused British insurance giant Aviva of orchestrating a scheme to circumvent local regulations on commission caps for sales agents, resulting in millions in unpaid taxes. According to a notice, Aviva’s India business allegedly funneled approximately $26 million between 2017 and 2023 through fake invoices for marketing services that were never rendered. This operation reportedly enabled Aviva to pass funds to its agents as excess commissions, breaching regulations that cap such payments. The investigation into Aviva is part of a larger crackdown on over a dozen insurers in India for tax evasion totaling $610 million. Investigators presented evidence, including emails and WhatsApp messages, implicating senior Aviva officials, and the company now faces up to $11 million in penalties. Aviva has yet to officially respond to the allegations but is expected to contest them. This case highlights ongoing issues within the insurance sector in India and the challenges of regulatory enforcement.