Roger Ver, an early Bit investor known as the "Bit Jesus", recently gave an interview with the well-known American media personality Tucker Carlson, discussing his legal dispute with the US government and his claims about the suppression of the initial vision of Bit.
Roger Ver may be extradited from Spain to the US on tax evasion charges, but he strongly refutes these allegations, believing that the US government's real dissatisfaction is not with the so-called tax issues, but with his long-term promotion of the use of cryptocurrencies to achieve financial autonomy.
Ver has consistently argued that Bit should operate as "peer-to-peer cash", and has criticized the leading cryptocurrency for being transformed into a speculative asset. He believes that the early hope of Bit as a fiat currency alternative has been subverted by the joint efforts of intelligence agencies and institutional players.
Ver detailed these claims in his book "Hijacking Bit" published this year. Host Carlson pointed out the ideological shift in cryptocurrencies, noting that Bit originally promised freedom and self-control of one's money, but now feels different, and Carlson said he was "very interested in how all this happened".
In the interview, Ver claimed that US institutions are trying to stifle the potential of Bit and other cryptocurrencies, accusing intelligence agencies of early intervention to promote the weakening of Bit as a medium of exchange. Ver alleged that online forums such as the early Bit forum Bitcointalk.org and the Bit subreddit r/bitcoin on Reddit have been subject to censorship and propaganda manipulation, leading Bit to deviate from its decentralized original intent.
When asked if he believes Bit was initially created by US intelligence agencies, Ver replied:
"I don't think it was created that way initially, but I'm very suspicious, I do believe that intelligence agencies and other organizations have co-opted and hijacked it into a financial trap."
Despite potentially facing 109 years in prison, Ver remains optimistic. He expressed hope that the Spanish court will reject the US extradition request, and emphasized the need for public advocacy. He stated: "There are many ways to stop this, but I think the most effective way is to get the public to speak up. The more people speak up, the safer we all are."
