Czech justice minister resigns over $45M Bitcoin gift from convict
Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned following backlash over his ministry’s sale of Bitcoin donated by a convicted criminal.
Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek has stepped down following a scandal over his ministry’s sale of nearly $45 million worth of Bitcoin donated by a convicted drug trafficker.
The controversy erupted on May 28 after the ministry posted on X that it had raised close to 1 billion Czech koruna (approximately $45 million) by auctioning off nearly 500 Bitcoin (BTC).
The funds were earmarked for projects such as digitizing the justice system, combating drug use in prisons, and improving housing for prison staff.