WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange recently received a notable donation of 8.07 bitcoin (BTC) from a single entity to assist in covering the expenses of a private jet that transported him from the UK to Australia following a plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Initially facing the challenge of raising £520,000 for transportation costs, Assange’s wife, Stella, launched an emergency appeal via a crowdfunding page that initially only accepted fiat currency donations via credit cards or bank transfers. Due to high demand and requests, a separate page was quickly set up to accept bitcoin contributions.
To date, the bitcoin address has gathered donations from 34 contributors, totaling just over $500,000, with the significant majority stemming from the aforementioned 8.07 BTC donation. Concurrently, the original fiat donation site has amassed approximately $500,000.
“Julian’s travel to freedom comes at a massive cost: Julian will owe USD 520,000 which he is obligated to pay back to the Australian government for charter Flight VJ199,” Stella Assange highlighted in a statement. “He was not permitted to fly commercial airlines or routes to Saipan and onward to Australia. Any contribution big or small is much appreciated.”
The charter flight, arranged by the Australian government post-plea deal, allowed Assange to regain his freedom after pleading guilty to espionage charges.
The relationship between Bitcoin and Assange spans over a decade, with WikiLeaks relying on the cryptocurrency following its exclusion from traditional banking channels. Assange remarked in a 2014 interview that WikiLeaks and bitcoin “kept each other alive.”
This recent development underscores the ongoing intersection of cryptocurrency, advocacy, and geopolitical challenges in the digital age.
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