美国当局逮捕比特币倡导者罗杰·维尔（Roger Ver），涉嫌税收恶作剧，引发争议

比特币布道者罗杰·维尔 (Roger Ver) 因邮件欺诈和逃税罪在西班牙被捕。美国司法部 (DoJ) 指控 Ver 因 2014 年放弃美国公民身份而欠下 4800 万美元未缴税款。Ver 的被捕引发了关于税收道德以及美国当局在追捕加密货币爱好者方面是否过度扩张的争论。

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

美国当局以逃税罪逮捕比特币倡导者罗杰·维尔，引发公愤

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.

比特币的著名早期采用者和传播者 Roger Ver 因邮件欺诈和逃税指控在西班牙被捕，此举震惊了加密货币社区。这次逮捕发生在周末，引发了一场关于税收道德的激烈辩论，以及美国当局在针对加密货币行业个人的行为上被视为过度行为。

Ver's Alleged Tax Liabilities Stem from Citizenship Renunciation

Ver 被指控的税务责任源于放弃公民身份

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.

据美国司法部 (DoJ) 称，Ver 于 2014 年放弃了美国公民身份，被指控未能为其当时控制下的大量比特币纳税。根据美国国税局（IRS）的规定，放弃美国公民身份的个人需要缴纳“退出税”，这基本上将他们的资产视为以公平市场价值出售。

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.

美国司法部称，Ver 和他的两家公司 MemoryDe​​alers.com 和 Agilestar.com 在他放弃公民身份时持有约 131,000 枚比特币。检察官声称，Ver 在外籍文件中提供了误导性信息，低估了其公司持有的比特币价值。

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.

起诉书特别指出，2017 年 11 月，Ver 从其公司持有 70,000 个比特币，并以约 2.4 亿美元的价格出售，但未向美国国税局 (IRS) 报告出售情况或缴纳收益税。

Observers Express Outrage Over Alleged Government Overreach

观察家对政府越权指控表示愤怒

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 的被捕在加密货币社区引起了震动，许多观察家将其标记为美国政府不合理的越权行为。加密货币领域的几位知名人士表达了他们的担忧，担心这一行动可能对该行业的创新和投资产生潜在的寒蝉效应。

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.

比特币主持人 Nico 将 Ver 的被捕与最近 Samourai 钱包开发者的逮捕进行了类比，表示这两起事件都是政府向加密货币社区传递信息的更广泛努力的一部分。

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 矿商 Gorilla Pool 的创始人 Kurt Wuckert Jr. 深入探讨了税收道德本身的哲学观点，他表示“未能贿赂政府，让他们不把你关在笼子里并不是犯罪。”贿赂是邪恶的。”

Questions Remain About Timing and Motives of Arrest

关于逮捕时间和动机的问题仍然存在

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.

尽管对维尔的指控很严重，但考虑到所指控的罪行发生在近七年前，一些观察家对他被捕的时间提出了质疑。这引发了人们的猜测，即政府可能会利用 Ver 作为替罪羊，向加密行业传递信息，或者可能还有其他动机。

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 首席执行官查尔斯·霍斯金森 (Charles Hoskinson) 指出，Ver 的两家公司均位于美国，这可能使他即使在放弃公民身份后也要缴纳美国税款。然而，霍斯金森表示希望对维尔的指控被证明是错误的。

Taxation: Legitimate Obligation or Theft?

税收：合法义务还是盗窃？

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 的被捕重新引发了长期以来关于税收合法性的争论。一些人认为，税收对于资助基本政府服务是必要的，而且它是社会契约的一种形式。其他人则认为，税收是盗窃或胁迫的一种形式，个人应有权保留其劳动成果。

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.

加密行业一直是这场辩论的一个特殊避雷针，因为社区中的许多人认为加密货币的去中心化性质可能会挑战传统的税收模式。

Conclusion

结论

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 因逃税指控被捕是一个复杂且有争议的事件，引发了有关政府在监管加密货币行业中的作用和税收道德的重要问题。尽管对维尔的指控很严重，但他被捕的时机和动机引发了人们对可能存在越权和滥用权力的担忧。 Ver 案件的结果将受到加密社区的密切关注，并可能对该行业的未来产生重大影响。