Czech Police Arrest Bitcoin Donor in $45M Scandal
Czech Police Arrest Donor in Billion-Dollar Bitcoin Scandal
Czech police have detained Tomáš Jiřikovský, a convicted drug trafficker, in connection with a multi-million dollar Bitcoin donation to the Czech Ministry of Justice. The arrest intensifies a scandal that previously led to the resignation of a cabinet minister.
The Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the National Centre for the Fight Against Organised Crime (NCOZ) executed a raid, securing individuals and evidence, according to Czech news outlet Echo24. The investigation now focuses on suspected money laundering and illegal drug activities, separate from an earlier probe into abuse of power.
Background on Tomáš Jiřikovský
Jiřikovský was convicted for operating Sheep Marketplace, a darknet drug marketplace. He was initially arrested in 2016 and served four years of a nine-year prison sentence for embezzlement and drug trafficking.
The recent arrest followed a police raid on a residence in Břeclav where Jiřikovský was located.
Impact on Czech Politics
This Bitcoin donation controversy shook Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s government ahead of upcoming elections.
The government previously survived a no-confidence vote initiated by the opposition party ANO.
Ministerial Resignation and Audit Findings
Former Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned in June after accepting a donation of 468 BTC. These Bitcoin were then sold for approximately 1 billion Czech koruna, equivalent to about $45 million USD.
Eva Decroix, his successor, commissioned an independent audit by Grant Thornton. The audit concluded that the ministry should not have accepted the Bitcoin, citing the likelihood that the funds originated from criminal activity and could constitute a criminal offense.
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