Czech police have reportedly arrested darknet market founder Tomas Jirikovsky in reference to a $45 million Bitcoin donation that prompted the resignation of former Justice Minister Pavel Blazek earlier this yr.
Czech police intervened within the Bitcoin (BTC) donation case that led to Blazek’s resignation on Thursday. In line with Chief State Prosecutor Radim Dragoun, authorities have been “securing individuals and issues.” “This can be a legal case that was just lately separated by the police authority for unbiased proceedings from joint proceedings,” Dragoun mentioned.
Though the assertion didn’t point out any arrests, some native stories counsel that police detained Tomas Jirikovsky, a convicted legal who allegedly paid 468 BTC (price round $45 million on the time) to the minister to keep away from a brand new jail sentence.
Bitcoin donor makes an attempt escape earlier than police arrest
Jirikovsky reportedly tried to flee police by climbing onto the roof of his residence throughout the raid on Thursday night time, Deník N reported Friday.
His ex-wife confirmed the intervention, saying a neighbor alerted her to the rooftop drama. The police then apprehended Jirikovsky and took him into custody, the report mentioned.
Jirikovsky is a Czech programmer and the architect of the unlawful darknet market Sheep Market, which was linked to drug trafficking, weapons gross sales and counterfeit items.
9-year jail sentence and parole in 2021
In line with Seznam Zprávy, Jirikovsky is estimated to have generated 680 BTC from working Sheep Market, which he launched in early 2013 when Bitcoin was valued at round $100.
After terminating {the marketplace} in December 2013 amid the shutdown of Silk Highway, Jirikovsky additionally reportedly stole an extra 841 BTC from the platform’s patrons and sellers, bringing his private Bitcoin fortune to no less than 1,500 BTC.
In 2017, the Brno Regional Courtroom sentenced him to 9 years in jail for embezzlement, drug trafficking and unlawful arms possession associated to Sheep Market. He was launched on parole in 2021 after serving half his sentence for good conduct.
Associated: UK officer jailed for 50 Bitcoin theft throughout Silk Highway 2.0 probe
Nevertheless, the story didn’t finish there, as Czech authorities by no means recovered Jirikovsky’s Bitcoin holdings, that are suspected to be way over 1,500 BTC.
Ongoing controversy
Czech minister Blazek confronted a scandal in Could after accepting a Bitcoin donation from a convicted drug supplier, with native stories shortly suggesting Jirikovsky’s involvement.
Seznam Zprávy linked the 468 BTC donation to Nucleus, one other darknet market holding 5,000 BTC in its pockets and reportedly related to the programmer.
The allegations surfaced shortly after blockchain analytics agency Arkham Intelligence traced a $77.5 million Bitcoin transaction from a Nucleus pockets in March 2025, the platform’s first transaction in 9 years.
In line with Lucien Bourdon, a Bitcoin analyst at Prague-based {hardware} pockets firm Trezor, Jirikovsky’s saga is a reminder that legal BTC exercise is traceable onchain.
“Whereas common of us have good privateness choices, if you happen to’re a legal or a authorities Bitcoin isn’t nice for transferring cash quietly,” Bourdon advised Cointelegraph.
“Massive transfers may be traced eternally. Think about if each fiat transaction involving governments was simply as seen. That’s the form of accountability we must always try for,” he added.
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