Bitcoin evangelist Roger Ver is at it again. He’s not giving away a $20,000 bounty like it’s nothing though, but he is offering to donate to a cause relating to Ross Ulbricht.
I’ll give $10 to @Free_Ross for each RT. If guilty, he’s a hero. If innocent, he needs help. http://t.co/XwhqrN06UT pic.twitter.com/Oau4dkFvdV
— Roger Ver (@rogerkver) July 5, 2014
Ross Ulbricht is of course a famous name in the bitcoin community ever since he was arrested late last year in connection with the illicit Silk Road marketplace. Officials say that Ulbricht ran the marketplace covertly, yet Ulbricht himself maintains his innocence.
His family has established FreeRoss.org, a campaign which will help cover the costs for his legal defense. Of a $100,000 goal, the family has thus far managed to raise nearly $90,000.
And with Ver’s impromptu fundraiser, they are on track to meeting their financial goal. As of this writing, Ver’s tweet has received about 214 retweets. That’s a total of $2,140 going toward the legal defense fund.
Ulbricht wrote the following in a June 21 letter published on FreeRoss.org (in addition to the photo seen in Ver’s tweet).
The first thing they tell you when they arrest you is that what you say will be used against you, and they mean it. So I have to keep this brief. I’d just like to thank you for giving my Mom, Lyn, the chance to tell you about the situation I’m in and why the outcome of this legal battle will have a lasting impact on you and the rules you live under in this country.
One thing I’ve learned since beginning my tour of the federal criminal justice system is that these guys are not all-powerful. They can be beaten and precedent can be set that will limit their ability to infringe on our rights.
I urge you to stand by me and do what you can to turn this horrible situation into a win.
Ulbricht has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and a trial is slated to commence on November 3rd.