A $30 million plan to buy a presidential pardon for Roger Ver, a.k.a Bitcoin Jesus, charged with tax evasion, collapsed earlier this year before it even made it past the planning stage, according to Bloomberg.
The effort was led by two self-styled operatives: Matt Argall, a supplement salesman from Florida who now calls himself “Lord Argall,” and Brock Pierce, a child actor-turned-crypto figure.
The scheme took shape during a lobster dinner in Puerto Rico, where Argall and Pierce agreed they could sell Roger a path to clemency. Trump had just won his second term, and they assumed Roger, known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” would pay millions to clear his legal troubles.
He had been indicted for allegedly dodging taxes on $240 million worth of token sales after renouncing his U.S. citizenship in 2014 and relocating to Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Argall demands $30 million to push clemency pitch to Trump
Matt made the first move. He contacted Roger early this year, offering to connect him with people he claimed had strong influence in Washington.
Communications reviewed by Bloomberg reportedly show Matt proposed an upfront payment of $10 million to a trustee account, with another $20 million to be paid only if a pardon came through. He positioned the money as a “success fee” for him and his network of alleged intermediaries.
Matt said he had heard about Roger’s legal case through Robert Wasinger, a Republican politician who was knee-deep involved in Trump’s 2016 campaign and had previously helped secure a pardon for Elliott Broidy.
Despite Matt’s repeated claims about his access, the White House denied any awareness of the deal. Trump administration spokesman Harrison Fields said, “The pardon process is a serious one, and outside grifters trying to make a big buck by overstating access to the White House will realize that soon enough.”
He added that all clemency decisions go through the pardon office and the counsel’s team, with final approval from Trump himself.
The clemency hustle around Trump’s second term has grown. White-collar defendants are being targeted by middlemen offering to navigate the process, often charging large fees without delivering results. Some charge $5,000 just for an introduction, while others offer to prepare applications for $1 million.
Crypto ties, Instagram photos, and a failed connection
In addition to the political name-dropping, Matt also leaned heavily on his partnership with Brock, who now serves as chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation.
Brock lives between Puerto Rico and Washington and has been tied to a litigation involving a hotel purchase. In January, he messaged Roger to express support and appreciation for his work in crypto, assuring him he had his back.
On the same day, Matt posted Instagram photos of the two of them drinking cocktails at sunset, promoting the image of closeness and trust.
Matt told Bloomberg he believed Roger’s net worth was somewhere between $10 billion and $20 billion, which justified the massive payment request. He claimed he had made multiple trips to Washington to begin laying the groundwork for the pardon request.
He also introduced Roger to conservative lawyer Jesse Binnall, who had previously represented Trump in January 6-related litigation. Jesse walked through his legal record but made no promises and did not agree to Matt’s $30 million plan.
“Binnall’s sole involvement in the Ver matter was limited to a single phone call,” his firm said in a statement. “He had no role whatsoever in setting, negotiating or pursuing any fee of any amount, nor did he take on the client or have any further involvement in the matter.”
The pitch relied heavily on convincing MAGA influencers that Roger had been unfairly targeted by federal prosecutors. The plan was to build public support, tie the case into Trump’s known disdain for aggressive government action, and position Roger as another victim of deep-state prosecution.
Communications also show that other conservative figures with supposed clemency experience were floated, but later denied being part of the effort.
By May, the Wall Street Journal reported that associates of Roger had floated offers ranging from $5 million to $10 million to lobbyists to try to secure a pardon. But according to attorney David Schoen, no money ever changed hands.
“It is absolutely clear to me that no one in the White House had any part in this process,” Schoen told Bloomberg. He called the entire pitch a scam based on fake claims of political access.
Matt, for his part, insisted the money wasn’t the point. “This wasn’t about me trying to make dough,” he said. “If I made this happen, since my guys came through, hook me up after.”
