Roger Ver Seeks Dismissal of $50 Million Tax Evasion Charges Amidst Claims of DOJ Misconduct

Roger Ver's attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against him. He's facing accusations of tax evasion and failing to pay $50 million in taxes.

Known as "Bitcoin Jesus" in the crypto world, Ver was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice back in April. He was later arrested by authorities in Spain.

This motion to dismiss comes at a critical time. The U.S. government, including the Justice Department, is looking at significant pro-crypto policy changes with the incoming Trump Administration in January.

The motion states, “The government’s charges against Roger Ver rely on violations of his rights; misleading, selective quotations of communications presented to the grand jury.”

Ver's team argues that the charges are based on an outdated understanding of U.S. tax laws. These laws were not designed to guide early adopters like him in the fast-evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

The DOJ claims Ver didn’t pay taxes on about $240 million worth of Bitcoin sold in 2017. They also say he underreported the value of his Bitcoin holdings back in 2014 when he renounced his U.S. citizenship.

In the motion, Ver's lawyers say he and his previous counsel had good-faith discussions with the DOJ. But they allege that during these talks, the government secretly indicted him while pretending to still be negotiating.

The motion emphasizes that unclear U.S. tax regulations played a major role in Ver's alleged failure to pay taxes. His attorneys argue that the current legal framework lacks clear guidance for both average taxpayers and tax law experts. This makes it tough to know where criminal liability begins and ends.

They pointed out, “This task of navigating regulatory uncertainty posed special difficulties in the case of cryptocurrencies, particularly for BTC in its infancy.” They also noted that the U.S. government—though not the DOJ or IRS—has acknowledged these challenges.

Ver’s legal team claims the DOJ has selectively quoted and misrepresented documents that weaken their case. They argue this also violates Ver’s attorney-client privilege. In May, Ver was released on $160,000 bail in Spain as he waits for a decision on his extradition to the U.S.

His attorneys concluded, “This prosecution must end.” They believe the evidence withheld from the grand jury shows that this indictment was obtained without regard for fairness or due process.