Czech government under pressure over bitcoin donation from ‘Silk Road’ entrepreneur

A controversial Bitcoin donation of $ 45 million by an entrepreneur found guilty of exploitation of a dark web market sway on the Czech political scene.

A Bitcoin donation (BTC) shakes the Czech political landscape. On Thursday, June 12, the Czech opposition called for a vote without confidence on the government for an alleged corruption. The scandal implies the donation of 468 bitcoins, worth $ 45 million, to the state by an ex-discreet.

The benefactor was Tomáš Jiříkovský, a controversial entrepreneur and a drug trafficker who operated a dark web market for illegal drugs. He was convicted in 2017 For drug trafficking, fraud and possession of illegal weapons, and purges his sentence until 2021.

Payment, which was made to the Ministry of Justice, was accepted by Pavel Blazek of the time. The funds were then liquidated in Fiat and transferred to the Treasury of the State. However, the donation sparked opposition pressure and Blazek was forced to resign on May 31.

While the funds were given to the State rather than to the minister personally, the opposition questioned the origins of the funds. The opposition accused the government of accepting bitcoins without checks from LMA or KYC. Without checking their origin, it is impossible to know if they were linked to an illegal activity.

Storor’s “Silk Road” scandal reflects

Jiříkovský’s operations are closely similar to those of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road. The platform was one of the first places where Bitcoin could be easily used, but it was also a hub for illegal drug trafficking. Ulbricht was pardoned In January 2025 by President Donald Trump after serving 11 years in prison. Interesting fact, in June, he received a donation of 300 bitcoins of a “Doubtful source.”

The scandal swings the crypto-friendly Czech government, which hoped to attract cryptographic companies with its flexible position on Mica regulations. He also risks undermining public confidence in Bitcoin by associating it with illegal operations.