Roger Ver, a well-known figure in the world of Bitcoin, found himself at the center of a curious plot. A failed attempt to buy a presidential pardon for him in the United States surfaced recently. It was a $30 million plan, according to a detailed report from Bloomberg.
The scheme involved two main characters. One was Matt Argall, a supplement seller from Florida, who styled himself as “Lord Argall.” The other was Brock Pierce, a former child actor now prominent in the crypto space. They cooked up the idea during a dinner in Puerto Rico. They were operating under the assumption that Donald Trump had already won a second term as president, even though he had not.
The proposal laid out a clear financial path. It asked for an initial payment of $10 million upfront. An additional $20 million would only be paid if the pardon actually happened. This large sum was meant to be a “success fee” for Argall and his network of alleged helpers.
Ver faced serious legal trouble. He stood accused of dodging taxes related to about $240 million in token sales. He had given up his U.S. citizenship in 2014 and moved to Saint Kitts and Nevis. This move created a complicated tax situation.
Argall took the lead in contacting Ver earlier this year. Reports say he offered to connect Ver with influential people in Washington. Messages reviewed by Bloomberg confirmed the payment structure. Argall even pointed to Robert Wasinger, a Republican politician linked to Trump’s 2016 campaign, as someone who had successfully helped in similar situations before.
White House Says No Link
However, the White House denied any knowledge of the plan. Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for the Trump administration, spoke out. He said the pardon process is “serious.” He warned that “outside opportunists” trying to get rich by overstating their access to the White House would soon be discovered. Fields added that all pardon decisions go through official channels. They involve the pardon office and the legal team. The president then gives the final approval.
It is worth noting that a market for “access” to pardons grew during Trump’s first term. Some individuals charged $5,000 just to make an introduction. Others asked for up to $1 million to write formal pardon requests.
Social Media and Failed Connections
Argall and Pierce used their connection to build trust with Ver. Pierce, who leads the Bitcoin Foundation, splits his time between Washington and Puerto Rico. He has many ties in the political and business worlds. In January, Pierce messaged Ver. He expressed support for Ver’s crypto journey and promised help. On the same day, Argall posted photos on Instagram. They showed the two men having cocktails at sunset. This was clearly meant to show how close and trustworthy they were.
Argall guessed Ver’s fortune was between $10 billion and $20 billion. He felt this justified the huge fee they were asking for. Argall also introduced Ver to Jesse Binnall, a conservative lawyer. Binnall was known for representing Trump in legal cases tied to January 6. But Binnall’s firm later clarified their role. They said their involvement was limited to just one phone call. They had no part in fee talks or any later actions.
The Outcome: Rejected Offers and Scam Claims
In May, the Wall Street Journal reported on the matter. It said Ver’s close associates had thought about other offers. These offers ranged from $5 million to $10 million for different efforts. Still, according to Ver’s lawyer David Schoen, no money was ever paid out in any of these deals.
Schoen told Bloomberg he was “absolutely clear” that no one in the White House was involved. He called the whole plan a “scam.” He said it was based on false promises of political access. Argall, for his part, defended his actions. He claimed money was not his main driver. He said, “This wasn’t about making money.” He just wanted “to be compensated afterward” if his contacts came through.
Ver is not the only crypto figure hoping for a possible pardon from Trump. This idea gained traction after Trump commuted the sentence of Ross Ulbricht. Ulbricht had been jailed for life due to his links with Silk Road. Trump also pardoned Arthur Hayes, the former CEO of BitMEX, along with two other executives from the platform. These cases made many in the crypto community think they too might be candidates for presidential pardons.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, is another high-profile person seeking a similar benefit. He was convicted of embezzlement after the collapse of his exchange and related companies. However, his chances appear quite dim.