Bitcoin Jesus Behind Bars: A call to arms for financial freedom
By bellecarter // 2026-02-03
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  • Roger Ver, known as "Bitcoin Jesus," is a persecuted advocate for financial freedom and decentralization. Influenced by libertarian thinkers like Ayn Rand and Rothbard, he viewed taxation as theft and government as coercion.
  • He got arrested in 2000 for criticizing the ATF (calling them "murderous, jackbooted thugs") and selling fireworks—resulting in a 10-month federal prison sentence. This foreshadowed the government's pattern of crushing dissent.
  • He became an early Bitcoin promoter (2011), funding startups and spreading adoption. He split from Bitcoin maximalists during the "Bitcoin Civil War," supporting Bitcoin Cash as truer to Satoshi's vision—making him a target for regulators.
  • After renouncing U.S. citizenship (2014), the IRS accused him of tax evasion based on fabricated Bitcoin sales. He was arrested in Spain (2024) via Interpol red notice, facing 109 years for alleged mail fraud and tax evasion—charges widely seen as politically motivated.
  • Ver's case mirrors government persecution of Assange, Ulbricht and Snowden—using vague laws to silence dissent. His book warns: The future of money is either decentralized or enslaved. The fight against CBDCs and surveillance is urgent.
Roger Ver—known as Bitcoin Jesus for his evangelical zeal in promoting cryptocurrency—has become one of the most persecuted figures in the fight for financial freedom. His new book, "Bitcoin Jesus Behind Bars: The Fight to Free Roger Ver," is more than just a memoir; it's a manifesto against government tyranny, a blueprint for resistance and a rallying cry for those who believe in decentralization, privacy and individual sovereignty. Ver's journey began long before Bitcoin. Born into Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial culture, he was steeped in individualism and skepticism of centralized power. His libertarian awakening came early—fueled by Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" and Murray Rothbard's "For a New Liberty." He saw taxation as theft, government as coercion and free markets as the only moral economic system. But his first real clash with the state came in 2000 when he ran for office in California, openly criticizing the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as "murderous, jackbooted thugs" for their role in the Waco siege. The backlash was swift. The ATF targeted him in a sting operation for selling fireworks—a charge that normally resulted in fines but landed Ver in federal prison for 10 months. It was a preview of what was to come: the government doesn't just punish dissent—it crushes it.

Bitcoin's early apostle

In 2011, Ver discovered Bitcoin and saw it as the ultimate tool for financial liberation—a decentralized, censorship-resistant currency that could bypass government control. He became one of its earliest evangelists, funding startups, distributing Bitcoin to strangers and preaching its potential to disrupt central banking. But his vision clashed with Bitcoin's gradual shift from peer-to-peer cash to "digital gold." The infamous Bitcoin Civil War erupted, leading Ver to support Bitcoin Cash—a fork he believed better fulfilled Satoshi Nakamoto's original vision. This made him a target, not just for Bitcoin maximalists but for regulators who saw decentralized finance as a threat.

The persecution begins

Ver's troubles escalated when he renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014—a move the IRS weaponized against him. Despite hiring top-tier tax attorneys and attempting compliance, he was accused of tax evasion based on hypothetical Bitcoin sales that would have crashed the market. The IRS raided his lawyers' offices, violating attorney-client privilege and cherry-picked evidence to build a fraudulent case. In 2024, he was arrested in Spain on an Interpol red notice, facing a draconian 109-year sentence for alleged mail fraud and tax evasion. The charges were absurd: How could Ver sell Bitcoin at prices that didn't exist in illiquid markets? The government's real crime was his advocacy for financial freedom.

A pattern of lawfare

Ver's case mirrors other high-profile victims of government persecution:
  • Julian Assange – Prosecuted for exposing war crimes.
  • Ross Ulbricht – Given a double life sentence for running Silk Road.
  • Edward Snowden – Exiled for revealing NSA surveillance.
Each case follows the same script:
  • Target dissenters who challenge state power.
  • Weaponize vague laws (tax evasion, mail fraud) to criminalize them.
  • Violate due process (raiding lawyers, tampering with evidence).
  • Demand excessive punishment to send a chilling message.
Ver's fight is our fight. If centralized powers can imprison a man for advocating financial sovereignty, none of us is safe. The book ends with a stark warning: The future of money is either decentralized or enslaved. Will we allow governments to impose CBDCs, track every transaction and freeze dissenters' assets? Or will we embrace Bitcoin, privacy tools and self-sovereignty? The choice is ours. The time to act is now. Grab a copy of "Bitcoin Jesus Behind Bars: The Fight to Free Roger Ver" via this link. Read, share and download thousands of books for free at Books.BrightLearn.AI. You can also create your own books for free at BrightLearn.AI. Watch this edition of the "Health Ranger Report" with the Health Ranger Mike Adams and Tracy Thurman discussing Roger Ver and the campaign for his freedom. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com
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