Jameson Lopp Suggests Roger Ver Lacks Funds for Tax Payment

Accused by the IRS of tax evasion, Bitcoin.com founder Roger Ver refuses to settle out of court, either on principle or due to a lack of funds, according to Casa co-founder and CTO Jameson Lopp. 

A lot of you have clearly fallen for Roger Ver’s political persecution ploy and don’t actually understand the charges against him, so I’ll break it down.

1. The IRS says he didn’t pay the correct exit tax in 2014 because his filing reported that he personally owned 0 BTC when he…

— Jameson Lopp (@lopp) January 27, 2025

In his view, although Ver is not a U.S. citizen, the tax authority is not overstepping its bounds.

“Much of the complaint is related to American companies owned by Ver. These companies still have to pay U.S. taxes regardless of his status,” Lopp wrote. 

He noted that the legal battle has been ongoing for several years, and it is evident that the IRS did not prioritize imprisoning Ver.

“It came to this because he chose not to pay. I bet even today he could negotiate a settlement. The tax authority prefers to collect revenue rather than imprison people,” the developer explained. 

Lopp recalled that in 2024, MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor managed to settle IRS claims by paying $40 million. Given the possibility of an amicable settlement, Ver’s principled refusal to pay raises questions. 

The developer speculated that this might be due to a commitment to Bitcoin maximalism ideology. However, he leans more towards the idea that the businessman simply does not possess such a sum. Lopp saw indirect confirmation of his suspicion in Ver’s refusal to pay $47 million in a lawsuit from the bankrupt cryptocurrency derivatives platform CoinFLEX in 2022.

“Why would someone who by all accounts should be a billionaire refuse to pay a relatively small amount to avoid prison? Perhaps because he is unable to do so,” concluded the CTO of Casa. 

Lopp added that while taxation “is still extortion,” it is generally “a rather weak argument when dealing with a tax inspector.”

Roger Ver himself recently appealed to newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump for help in resolving the situation. 

Mr. President, I am an American, and I need your help. Only you, with your commitment to justice, can save me @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/WhVTZ1M1GB

— Roger Ver (@rogerkver) January 26, 2025

U.S. authorities claim that the Bitcoin.com founder failed to declare capital gains from selling “tens of thousands” of bitcoins for $240 million in cash. The alleged fraud resulted in losses amounting to $48 million. The accused faces up to 30 years in federal prison. 

In late April 2024, he was detained in Spain but was later released on bail.

Back in December, Ver filed a motion in a California federal court to dismiss the case. He called the exit tax on individuals renouncing U.S. citizenship with assets over $2 million unconstitutional and “unfathomably vague.” The entrepreneur renounced U.S. citizenship in favor of St. Kitts and Nevis in 2014.

Later, he accused the U.S. government of politically motivated persecution for his statements and role in promoting Bitcoin.