Czech Justice Minister Resigns Amid Bitcoin Donation Scandal
Pavel Blazek, the Czech Republic’s Minister of Justice, stepped down from his position on Friday following a controversy surrounding a substantial Bitcoin donation to his ministry. The donation, totaling 468 bitcoins, worth approximately R$ 250 million, was made by Tomas Jirikovsky, a convicted drug trafficker.
Jirikovsky, who has been on parole since 2021, reportedly donated 30% of his cryptocurrency holdings in 2017. The bitcoins were subsequently sold in 78 electronic auctions starting in April 2025, generating 957 million Czech crowns (R$ 250 million) for the government.
Minister Defends Actions Despite Resignation
Blazek announced his resignation on social media, stating that the decision was not an admission of guilt but rather an attempt to mitigate the scandal’s impact. He emphasized that he was unaware of any illegal conduct and did not want to harm the reputation of the government or the ruling coalition.
Local media reports indicate that Blazek saw no impropriety in accepting the donation, even though it originated from a convicted drug trafficker. He questioned why a convicted individual should be prohibited from donating to the state, suggesting it could be a form of repentance. He further argued that the funds would be used by the state to combat crime and support victims.
Blazek also speculated that Jirikovsky’s bitcoins may have significantly increased in value during his imprisonment and were not identified as illegal during his trial. He suggested that Jirikovsky might have wanted to disclose the bitcoins to avoid future investigations into his wealth.
“I would do the same: I would demand the presence of a public official so that everyone would know how many bitcoins I had. If no one knew, he could again be the target of an investigation into how much money he had there,” Blazek commented.
The opposition Civic Democratic Party has accused Blazek of laundering money for a drug trafficker, alleging that the donation was a “deal with the criminal world.”
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