In a surprising twist, Elon Musk has suggested he’s exploring the possibility of a presidential pardon for Roger Ver, the man famously known as “Bitcoin Jesus.” Ver, who was arrested last year on charges of fraud and tax evasion, has recently caught Musk’s attention following Donald Trump’s decision to pardon Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the notorious dark web marketplace, Silk Road.
Musk, who is no stranger to controversy, shared his thoughts on this developing situation. He said he was “honored to be in the Oval Office” when Trump granted Ulbricht an unexpected pardon. Ulbricht, whose Silk Road platform used cryptocurrency to facilitate the sale of illegal drugs, had been sentenced to two life terms in prison for crimes including money laundering and computer hacking.
But the pardoning of Ulbricht isn’t without its drama. The FBI once described Silk Road as a “digital bazaar for illegal goods,” and the platform generated hundreds of millions of dollars in sales, mostly in bitcoin. Some even claim that Ulbricht allegedly solicited murders-for-hire, adding even more controversy to his case.
Trump himself defended the decision, calling the prosecution of Ulbricht a miscarriage of justice and even called the prosecutors “scum.” In a more personal move, Trump reached out to Ulbricht’s mother to deliver the good news.
With all this happening, Musk hinted that Ver might be the next recipient of a pardon, though he clarified that the final decision would rest with Trump. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had asked Trump if such a pardon was possible, but it was ultimately up to the president.
So, who exactly is Roger Ver, and why is Musk so interested in his case? Ver, a former Californian who renounced his U.S. citizenship to become a citizen of St. Kitts, made headlines when he was arrested in Spain last April. He faced charges related to the sale of tens of thousands of bitcoins in 2017, a transaction valued at around $240 million. What made matters worse was that Ver didn’t report these gains, which allegedly cost the U.S. Treasury $48 million in lost taxes.
Ver’s situation is more complicated by the fact that the U.S. is seeking his extradition. As of now, there has been no word from Trump regarding a potential pardon for Ver.
This move comes on the heels of Trump’s pardoning spree just after his inauguration. Among those he pardoned were individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol riot, many of whom were convicted of assaulting police officers. Trump’s controversial pardons seem to be a bold way to please his conservative base, further solidifying his connection with figures like Musk.
Musk, who shares many of Trump’s hard-right views, has even poured millions of dollars into supporting the former president’s re-election campaign. And it doesn’t stop there—Musk has also been tapped by Trump to lead a new advisory commission, cheekily called the Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE.” While not officially part of the U.S. government, the commission will focus on reducing federal spending and bureaucracy.
It looks like Musk and Trump are more aligned than ever before, with both turning heads with their bold decisions and controversial actions. The question now is whether Ver will join the list of those receiving a presidential pardon. Only time will tell!
