美國當局逮捕比特幣倡導者羅傑·維爾（Roger Ver），涉嫌稅收惡作劇，引發爭議

比特幣佈道者羅傑·維爾 (Roger Ver) 因郵件詐欺和逃稅罪在西班牙被捕。美國司法部(DoJ) 指控Ver 因2014 年放棄美國公民身份而欠下4800 萬美元未繳稅款。 。

US Authorities Arrest Bitcoin Advocate Roger Ver for Tax Evasion, Sparking Outrage

美國當局以逃稅罪逮捕比特幣倡議者羅傑·維爾，引發公憤

In a move that has shocked the cryptocurrency community, Roger Ver, a prominent early adopter and evangelist of Bitcoin, has been arrested in Spain on charges of mail fraud and tax evasion. The arrest, which took place over the weekend, has ignited a fierce debate over the morality of taxation and the perceived overreach of US authorities in targeting individuals involved in the crypto industry.

比特幣的著名早期採用者和傳播者 Roger Ver 因郵件詐欺和逃稅指控在西班牙被捕，此舉震驚了加密貨幣社群。這次逮捕發生在周末，引發了一場關於稅收道德的激烈辯論，以及美國當局在針對加密貨幣行業個人的行為上被視為過度行為。

Ver's Alleged Tax Liabilities Stem from Citizenship Renunciation

Ver 被指控的稅務責任源於放棄公民身份

According to the Department of Justice (DoJ), Ver, who renounced his US citizenship in 2014, is accused of failing to pay taxes on substantial Bitcoin holdings that were under his control at the time. Under the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, individuals who renounce their US citizenship are required to pay an "exit tax," which essentially treats their assets as if they were sold at fair market value.

據美國司法部 (DoJ) 稱，Ver 於 2014 年放棄了美國公民身份，被指控未能為其當時控制下的大量比特幣納稅。根據美國國稅局（IRS）的規定，放棄美國公民身份的個人需要繳納“退出稅”，這基本上將他們的資產視為以公平市場價值出售。

The DoJ alleges that Ver and two of his companies, MemoryDealers.com and Agilestar.com, held around 131,000 Bitcoins at the time of his citizenship renunciation. Prosecutors claim that Ver provided misleading information to undervalue his companies' Bitcoin holdings in the expatriation filings.

美國司法部稱，Ver 和他的兩家公司 MemoryDe​​alers.com 和 Agilestar.com 在他放棄公民身份時持有約 131,000 枚比特幣。檢察官聲稱，Ver 在外籍文件中提供了誤導性訊息，低估了其公司持有的比特幣價值。

In particular, the indictment alleges that in November 2017, Ver took possession of 70,000 Bitcoins from his companies and sold them for around $240 million but failed to report the sale to the IRS or pay taxes on the gains.

起訴書特別指出，2017 年 11 月，Ver 從其公司持有 70,000 個比特幣，並以約 2.4 億美元的價格出售，但未向美國國稅局 (IRS) 報告出售情況或繳納收益稅。

Observers Express Outrage Over Alleged Government Overreach

觀察家對政府越權指控表示憤怒

The arrest of Ver has sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency community, with many observers labeling it as an unjustified overreach on the part of the US government. Several prominent individuals in the crypto space have voiced their concerns about the potential chilling effect this action could have on innovation and investment in the industry.

Ver 的被捕在加密貨幣社區引起了震動，許多觀察家將其標記為美國政府不合理的越權行為。加密貨幣領域的幾位知名人士表達了他們的擔憂，擔心這項行動可能對該行業的創新和投資產生潛在的寒蟬效應。

Nico, a Bitcoin host, drew parallels between Ver's arrest and the recent arrest of Samourai Wallet developers, suggesting that both incidents were part of a broader effort by the government to send a message to the cryptocurrency community.

比特幣主持人 Nico 將 Ver 的被捕與最近 Samourai 錢包開發者的逮捕進行了類比，表示這兩起事件都是政府向加密貨幣社區傳遞訊息的更廣泛努力的一部分。

Kurt Wuckert Jr., the founder of BSV miner Gorilla Pool, delved into a philosophical point on the morality of taxation itself, stating that "failure to bribe the government so they don't put you in a cage is not a crime. Demanding the bribe is evil."

BSV 礦商 Gorilla Pool 的創始人 Kurt Wuckert Jr. 深入探討了稅收道德本身的哲學觀點，他表示“未能賄賂政府，讓他們不把你關在籠子裡並不是犯罪。”賄賂是邪惡的。

Questions Remain About Timing and Motives of Arrest

關於逮捕時間和動機的問題仍然存在

While the allegations against Ver are serious, some observers have questioned the timing of his arrest, given that the alleged offenses occurred nearly seven years ago. This has led to speculation that the government may be using Ver as a scapegoat to send a message to the crypto industry or that there may be other motives at play.

儘管對維爾的指控很嚴重，但考慮到所指控的罪行發生在近七年前，一些觀察家對他被捕的時間提出了質疑。這引發了人們的猜測，即政府可能會利用 Ver 作為替罪羊，向加密行業傳遞訊息，或者可能還有其他動機。

Input Output CEO Charles Hoskinson noted that Ver's two companies were US-based, which could potentially make him liable for US taxes even after renouncing his citizenship. However, Hoskinson expressed hope that the allegations against Ver would be proven false.

Input Output 執行長 Charles Hoskinson 指出，Ver 的兩家公司均位於美國，這可能使他即使在放棄公民身份後也要繳納美國稅款。然而，霍斯金森表示希望對維爾的指控被證明是錯誤的。

Taxation: Legitimate Obligation or Theft?

稅金：合法義務還是竊盜？

The arrest of Ver has reignited a long-standing debate over the legitimacy of taxation. Some argue that taxation is necessary to fund essential government services and that it is a form of social contract. Others maintain that taxation is a form of theft or coercion and that individuals should have the right to keep the fruits of their labor.

Ver 的被捕重新引發了長期以來關於稅收合法性的爭論。有些人認為，稅收對於資助基本政府服務是必要的，而且它是社會契約的一種形式。其他人則認為，稅收是盜竊或脅迫的一種形式，個人應有權保留其勞動成果。

The crypto industry has been a particular lightning rod for this debate, as many in the community believe that the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies could potentially challenge traditional taxation models.

加密產業一直是這場辯論的一個特殊避雷針，因為社群中的許多人認為加密貨幣的去中心化性質可能會挑戰傳統的稅收模式。

Conclusion

結論

The arrest of Roger Ver on charges of tax evasion is a complex and controversial event that raises important questions about the role of government in regulating the crypto industry and the morality of taxation. While the allegations against Ver are serious, the timing and motives behind his arrest have raised concerns about the potential for overreach and abuse of power. The outcome of Ver's case will be closely watched by the crypto community and could have significant implications for the future of the industry.

Roger Ver 因逃稅指控被捕是一個複雜且有爭議的事件，引發了有關政府在監管加密貨幣行業中的作用和稅收道德的重要問題。儘管對維爾的指控很嚴重，但他被捕的時機和動機引發了人們對可能存在越權和濫用權力的擔憂。 Ver 案件的結果將受到加密社群的密切關注，並可能對該行業的未來產生重大影響。