Marla Maples, former wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, has publicly supported efforts to dismiss the criminal case against early Bitcoin advocate Roger Ver, known as “Bitcoin Jesus.”
In a March 16 post on X, Maples shared a video from a pro-Ver organization calling for the case’s dismissal, tagging Trump, Elon Musk, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“Sharing more regarding the call to dismiss the prosecution against Roger Ver,”
she wrote.
Ver faces multiple charges from the U.S. Department of Justice, including mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns. Authorities allege that 2014 he concealed his Bitcoin holdings when renouncing his U.S. citizenship, defrauding the IRS of $48 million by failing to report capital gains from Bitcoin sales. He was arrested in Spain in 2024 but later granted bail under the condition that he remain in the country.
Maples has remained active in philanthropy and supports him, attending his 2017 inauguration. Her statement adds to a growing list of high-profile figures calling for Ver’s prosecution to be dropped. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht—whom Trump pardoned in January—also supported Ver’s case.
Ver himself has appealed to Trump for a pardon, arguing he is a victim of political persecution. However, neither Trump nor the White House has responded publicly to his plea. Musk, who has expressed strong opinions, dismissed the idea in a January post on X, stating,
“Ver gave up his U.S. citizenship. No pardon for Ver. Membership has its privileges.”
Ver is currently fighting the case, arguing that the IRS’ “exit tax” on renounced citizens is unconstitutional, particularly in the context of cryptocurrency. His legal team moved to dismiss the charges in December, claiming the law is too vague when applied to digital assets. Additionally, In January 2023, Ver was embroiled in a legal dispute with GGC International, a subsidiary of the now-bankrupt crypto lending firm Genesis.
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