Bitcoin Donation Pours in for Julian Assange Amidst His Freedom Release: $500,000 Worth
In a twist of events, the infamous WikiLeaks co-founder, Julian Assange, stepped foot on Australian soil last Wednesday following a guilty plea on espionage charges brought forth by the US government. This plea deal, which sees Assange's five-year stint in a UK prison as time served, spared him from a potentially harsh 170-year sentence in an American prison.
News of the plea agreement sparked an urgent appeal by Assange's wife, Stella, on social media, urging crypto and fiat donations to cover the enormous cost of a private jet that flew the free man out of the UK.
"EMERGENCY APPEAL: Donations needed to cover $520K private jet debt" Stella tweeted, shortly after the plea agreement was announced. She explained that Julian's travel costs were astronomical due to restrictions on commercial flights and routes, which led to the need for a private jet to transport him to Saipan and then to Australia.
The Australian government had reportedly organized and funded the flight, but it appeared that they had yet to cover the costs. As a result, Stella turned to the public for assistance, setting up donation links on a British crowdfunding site and various cryptocurrency wallets. One particularly generous Bitcoin enthusiast donated a whopping 8.07 Bitcoin, worth approximately $498,000 at the time.
As for the Australian government's involvement, it's rumored that they had been lobbying President Joe Biden to facilitate Assange's return to his homeland. It's still uncertain how much intervention, if any, Biden had in the DOJ's decision to strike a plea deal.
It's worth noting that Donald Trump's DOJ originally brought the charges against Assange. Ironically, Assange's leaks in the lead-up to the 2016 election may have inadvertently helped secure Trump's win.
In total, fiat currency donations to Assange stand at £387,359 from more than 8,000 donors, equivalent to around $490,000. After paying for the private flight and other expenses, the remaining funds will presumably be used for Assange's personal recovery and well-being.
Assange was held at London's Belmarsh Prison for five years after being physically removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in 2019, where he had sought asylum in 2012, having jumped bail on sexual assault charges in Europe that were later dropped. Assange's long-standing legal troubles were deeply intertwined with his work at WikiLeaks, particularly the explosive 2011 release of "Collateral Murder," featuring video footage of U.S. forces killing civilians, including two Reuters journalists, in Iraq in 2007.
Assange appeared in court in Saipan, an American territory in the Pacific Ocean, and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy. He arrived in Australia's capital, Canberra, late Thursday, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressing his support. "I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Assange and discussing his health. His safe return to Australia is significant for his family," Albanese said.
Although Assange's future work with WikiLeaks remains uncertain, his return to Australia may have possible implications for American democracy, as WikiLeaks had previously sought a political appointment from the Trump administration in exchange for a pardon, just before the 2016 election.
[1] Michael S. Schmidt, "Julian Assange agrees to plead guilty in U.S. as part of deal to avoid extradition to Britain," The New York Times, June 25, 2024, sec. U.S.
[2] Charlie Savage, "Debate over declassifying evidence risks exposing secrets in Julian Assange's extradition case," The New York Times, February 7, 2022, sec. U.S.
[3] Katie Benner, "Federal Judge Orders Barack Obama and Others to Testify in Julian Assange's Extradition Hearing," The New York Times, January 20, 2022, sec. U.S.
[4] Mark Sumner, "Julian Assange avoids extradition to UK, will serve 55-year sentence in US," Raw Story, June 25, 2024.
- Tech companies could potentially offer cost-effective solutions for Julian Assange's future travel, preventing the need for expensive private jets.
- The expense of technology, such as encrypted communication tools, could be a crucial aspect in Assange's recovery and well-being, allowing him to safely navigate his future endeavors.
- It remains uncertain how the recovery of Assange's technology, including the content of WikiLeaks, will impact the future of American technology and democracy.
- Reuters may consider the use of tech and journalism advancements in a potential investigation into the 2007 incident featuring the killing of their journalists, with a focus on uncovering the truth about Julian Assange's case in the future.
