2 References Background
Roger Ver is a self-described libertarian and “bitcoin evangelist.” [2] He was the CEO of an online company called MemoryDealers.com, which mainly sold used computer hardware and networking equipment to international customers, from 1999 until 2012. [3]
In August 2001, Ver was charged with both storing and selling explosives illegally.
He sold explosive devices called “Pest Control Report 2000,” which were marketed as tools for farmers to place in fields to scare off mice and other pests. He served 10 months in federal prison. [4] He later ran for the California State Assembly on behalf of the Libertarian party, but was not elected. [5] “Bitcoin Jesus”
In 2011, Ver became acquainted with bitcoin.
Infatuated by the technology, he excitedly explained the concept to a group of high schoolers at a barbecue. The students were so enthralled by Ver’s explanation that Peter Vessnes , who was also at the barbecue, compared him to Jesus speaking to his apostles.
[6] With time, the title of “Bitcoin Jesus” stuck, especially given Ver’s later activity as an “angel investor” for Bitcoin.com, as well as for numerous startups related to cryptocurrency , including Kraken and Ripple .
His donation to the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) was at the time the largest donation of bitcoin ever; he donated 1,000 BTC in 2013, which at the time was worth over $1 million. [7] [8]
Roger Ver has been a founding member and board advisor of the Bitcoin Foundation since July 2012. He has also been involved with the development of bitcoin’s blockchain , and is the current CEO of Bitcoin.com. [9] Launching an exchange
At a conference in Malta in October 2018, Ver told Bloomberg that his company was planning on launching a cryptocurrency exchange , using Bitcoin Cash as its base currency. Ver said that the exchange would be posted on Bitcoin.
com. He did not specify which other currencies, if any, would be available for trade. [10] [11] In November, Ver confirmed that Bitcoin.
com was still planning on launching a cryptocurrency exchange, despite a recent crash that caused the crypto markets to lose over $25 billion. [12] Bitcoin ABC
On November 15th, Bitcoin Cash underwent a hard fork , following a long series of bitter arguments between two camps in the Bitcoin Cash community about how to upgrade the protocol. The fork officially created Bitcoin Cash ABC and Bitcoin Cash SV , which initiated an intense conflict between miners in the formerly whole BCH community.
Miners supporting one side or the other pooled their hash power in an effort to overwhelm the opposing side. Before the conflict began, Craig Wright made public threats that programmers supporting Bitcoin Cash SV would perform hacking attacks that would destroy the ABC blockchain. Before the conflict began, SV consolidated enough hashing power to theoretically carry the attacks out. [13] During the conflict, Wright began posting a series of combative tweets about Bitcoin Cash ABC, as well as posting an article on Medium.com entitled, “Present liability schemes and sanctions.” [14] [15] He also allegedly sent an inflammatory email to Ver, who supported the ABC upgrade, along with Bitcoin.
com. [16]
In December, American telecommunications firm United American Corporation (UAC) sued Ver, as well as Kraken CEO Jesse Powell , Bitmain co-founder Jihan Wu, and key Bitcoin ABC developers. [17] [18] The United American Corporation lawsuit alleged that Ver and the others manipulated the crypto market by making Bitcoin Cash too “centralized,” allowing them to direct the network to become “unjustly enrichment” by this conduct. [19] References.
