Anonymous Donor Pays $500,000 in Bitcoin for Julian Assange’s Freedom Flight
An anonymous Bitcoin donor paid more than $500,000 in BTC to cover WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s flight to Australia. Assange is now a free man after pleading guilty in a US court under a deal that ends his 14-year war.
JUST SIGN IN: #Bitcoin Veteran and freedom fighter Julian Assange has arrived in Australia. He is officially a free man!
A winner for freedom of speech and freedom 👏 pic.twitter.com/lDyPabqa8u
– Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 26, 2024
Assange was released from a UK prison on June 24 and flew to the US territory of Saipan to enter his plea. He is fighting extradition to the US on espionage charges related to WikiLeaks’ publication of classified documents.
On June 26, Assange returned to his native Australia and welcomed family members to Canberra. He has been a pioneer of Bitcoin and WikiLeaks since its inception, even receiving donations in BTC in 2010 when few knew about it.
Just the other day, to cover the $520,000 cost of his chartered plane arranged by the Australian government, Assange’s wife issued an urgent appeal for donations. He also provided a Bitcoin address for donations.
Notably, one Bitcoin donor sent over 8 BTC worth nearly $500,000 to the address to pay off the entire debt. This allowed Assange to return home without financial burden.
The large donation by an anonymous donor highlights the Bitcoin community’s continued support for Assange and his work exposing government secrets. Bitcoiners have long been advocating for his release.
While the identity of the whale remains unknown, the donation underscores Bitcoin’s role in providing free speech and unchecked financial freedom.
The coming weeks will focus on helping Assange recover from his long imprisonment. However, given his long history with the technology, his involvement with Bitcoin will likely continue. Assange’s story symbolizes the battle between individual freedom and the unchecked power of government.
