An Anonymous Bitcoin Donor Paid Over $500,000 in BTC to Cover WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange’s costs for his flight to Australia. Assange is now a free man after pleading guilty in a US court under a deal that ended his 14-year legal battle.
JUST IN: #Bitcoin pioneer and freedom fighter Julian Assange has landed in Australia. He is officially a free man!
A victory for freedom of speech and freedom đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/lDyPabqa8u
— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 26, 2024
Assange was released from prison in the United Kingdom on June 24 and flew to the US territory of Saipan to enter his plea. He had been fighting extradition to the US on espionage charges related to WikiLeaks publication of secret documents.
On June 26, Assange arrived back in his native Australia and hugged relatives in Canberra. He has been a pioneer for Bitcoin and WikiLeaks since its inception, even receiving donations in BTC in 2010 when few knew about it.
Just a day earlier, to cover the $520,000 cost of his private charter flight organized by the Australian government, Assange’s wife decided made an urgent appeal for donations. She also provided one Bitcoin address for contributions.
Remarkably, one Bitcoin donor was sent 8 BTC worth almost $500,000 to the address to cover the entire debt. This allowed Assange to return home without financial burden.
The anonymous donor’s massive contribution highlights the Bitcoin community’s continued support for Assange and his work uncovering government secrets. Bitcoiners have long called for his release.
While the whale’s identity remains unknown, the donation underscores Bitcoin’s role in enabling uncensored free speech and financial freedom.
The coming weeks will focus on helping Assange recover from long-term incarceration. Given his long history with the technology, however, his involvement with Bitcoin is likely to continue. Assange’s saga has come to symbolize the struggle between individual freedoms and unchecked government power.