**Anonymous Bitcoin Donor Contributes 8 BTC to Ease Julian Assange’s Financial Strain**
Ruholamin Haqshanas
Updated: June 26, 2024, 09:54 EDT | 2 min read
An anonymous Bitcoin enthusiast has generously donated over 8 BTC, valued at approximately $500,000, to support WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange’s family. This act comes as they grapple with mounting debt from his recent travel and settlement expenses.
Assange, who recently regained his freedom after a 14-year legal battle against extradition to the United States, faced a significant financial obligation of $520,000 to the Australian government for chartered flight expenses to Saipan and Australia.
Upon his return to Australia, Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, launched a crowdfunding campaign to alleviate this financial burden. “Julian’s journey to freedom has come at a substantial cost: Julian is required to repay USD 520,000 to the Australian government for Charter Flight VJ199,” she detailed on X.
Bitcoin User’s Generous Contribution
The campaign gained widespread attention when Stella Assange shared the donation link on June 25. In just 10 hours, an anonymous Bitcoin donor contributed over 8 Bitcoin to the fund, nearly meeting the entire $520,000 goal.
In addition to this cryptocurrency donation, the campaign received over 300,000 British pounds ($380,000) in fiat currency contributions. This anonymous Bitcoin donation notably stood out as the largest single contribution to the campaign, surpassing the combined sum of donations in various other currencies.
It’s worth noting that previous efforts within the cryptocurrency community have also supported Assange. In 2023, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) known as AssangeDAO raised millions to bid on an NFT, aiding Assange’s legal efforts toward freedom.
Assange’s Legal Journey
Assange was released from the high-security Belmarsh prison in the United Kingdom on June 24, following a plea agreement reached with U.S. authorities. Post-release, he flew on a private plane from a London airport to Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, strategically avoiding setting foot on American soil.
On June 26, Assange appeared in a district court in Saipan, where he pleaded guilty to breaching the U.S. Espionage Act by leaking classified documents. Judge Ramona Manglona sentenced him to five years and two months in prison for this plea. However, due to his time served in the United Kingdom while contesting extradition, Assange left the courtroom a free man.
After his release, Assange boarded a private flight and arrived in Canberra, Australia, at 9:39 am UTC. Throughout his legal battles, Assange argued that the Espionage Act, under which he was charged, conflicted with First Amendment rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the legal risks associated with encouraging sources to disclose classified information for publication.
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