Elon Musk Backs Out of Supporting Roger Ver’s Pardon During Extradition Proceedings
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Roger Ver, a prominent proponent of cryptocurrency and an early investor in Bitcoin, is currently navigating legal troubles and appealing to former President Donald Trump for assistance in his case. Known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus’ by his social media followers on platform X, Ver faces a potential life sentence and has described Trump as his "last hope."

In a video posted on X on January 26, Ver made a plea to Trump to prevent his extradition from Spain to the US, stating, “Mr. President, I am an American, and I need your help. Only you, with your dedication to justice, can rescue me.”

Accused of evading $48 million in taxes by concealing $240 million from Bitcoin sales in 2017, Ver disputes the allegations, asserting that the US government is targeting him not for tax evasion but for his advocacy of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.

Voicing concerns about his imminent extradition, Ver expressed in the video, “By later tonight in Spain, I could very well be in a Spanish prison on my way back to the United States to face life in prison up to 109 years. Not because I have done anything wrong, but because of my activism within cryptocurrency.”

Despite renouncing his US citizenship in the past, Ver contends that the charges against him are politically motivated, stemming from his public support for Bitcoin and his challenges to conventional financial systems. He sees Trump as his last resort and anticipates that the president will step in and halt his extradition.

The situation garnered attention when Elon Musk initially considered the possibility of pardoning Ver. Musk’s interest in a potential pardon arose amid a public campaign for clemency for Ver, following the pardoning of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace. However, Musk recently changed course, suggesting that Ver’s decision to give up his US citizenship may affect any potential pardon or support.

Regarding the likelihood of Trump granting clemency to Ver within the first 100 days, the odds on the prediction platform Polymarket have decreased to 12%. Despite this, various Twitter users have expressed support for Ver in response to Musk’s statement.

Ver, who was detained in February while attending a crypto conference in Barcelona, had previously urged a US court to dismiss the tax evasion charges against him in December.

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