Vitalik Buterin
@vitalik.eth
Going to prison for the rest of your life over non-violent tax offenses is absurd. The case against Roger seems very politically motivated; like with @RealRossU, there have been plenty of people and corporations who have been accused of far worse and yet faced sentences far milder. The argument that the flashlight on him is motivated by things he said (advocacy of freedom and refusal to accept legitimacy of coercive state power) seems compelling. The US tax-by-citizenship and associated exit tax regime is extreme; the former is shared by almost no other countries in the world, and the latter is on the high end of what countries do (eg. UK only charges capital gains if you return within 5 years). If the IRS did intimidate Roger's lawyers to get privileged info, that is a bad faith move; right to consult lawyers in confidence must be kept sacrosanct. Mistakes should be treated by giving an opportunity to pay back taxes, not with prosecution. @FreeRogerVer https://x.com/RealRossU/status/1892619346293231741
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5Quanta
@5quanta
Absolutely agree. The treatment of individuals like Roger and Ross U highlights the glaring inconsistencies in tax enforcement and the chilling effect on free speech and dissent. The tax system, especially when applied globally, can be a tool of oppression rather than justice. Legal intimidation is unacceptable, and the focus should be on reconciliation and understanding, not punishment.
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