According to Cointelegraph, Marla Maples, the second ex-wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, has publicly supported the dismissal of charges against Roger Ver, an early Bitcoin advocate known as 'Bitcoin Jesus.' Maples expressed her stance in a March 16 post on X, sharing a video from an organization backing Ver and tagging prominent figures including Trump, Elon Musk, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The Department of Justice charged Ver in April 2024 with mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns. The allegations claim Ver concealed his Bitcoin holdings when he renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014, defrauding the Internal Revenue Service of $48 million by not reporting the profits from selling the cryptocurrency.
Maples, who was married to Trump from 1993 to 1999, has maintained a philanthropic presence, supporting various charities and causes. She remains supportive of Trump, with whom she shares a daughter, Tiffany Trump. Maples attended Trump's inauguration and expressed willingness to serve in any capacity during his presidential campaign.
Joining Maples in advocating for Ver are notable figures such as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht, who received a pardon from Trump in January. Ver has sought a pardon from Trump, claiming he is a victim of 'lawfare' and unfair persecution.
Despite Ver's appeal, neither Trump nor the White House has publicly addressed his request. Elon Musk, in a January post on X, remarked that Ver 'gave up his US citizenship. No pardon for Ver. Membership has its privileges.' Ver was arrested in Spain following the U.S. indictment but was granted bail under the condition he remains in the country.
In December, Ver moved to dismiss the government's case, arguing the charges are unconstitutional and the IRS's 'exit tax' for renounced citizens is 'inscrutably vague' when applied to cryptocurrency. Cointelegraph has reached out to Maples for further comment.
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