Julian Assange Free After 14-Year Battle
Assange Secured Freedom with Bitcoin Donation
Anonymous Donor Pays $500,000 for Assange's Travel Expenses
WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange is finally a free man after a 14-year battle against extradition to the United States. In a final effort to secure his freedom, Assange's fiancee, Stella Assange, posted an on-chain address on social media. Shortly after, an anonymous Bitcoin donor transferred 8 BTC, worth approximately $500,000, to the address.
The donation covered Assange's expenses for his flight home, as well as any necessary recovery costs. The move comes as a major victory for Assange, who has been fighting extradition since 2010. He was arrested in London in 2019 and has been held in prison ever since.
The US government had been seeking to extradite Assange to face charges of espionage and computer hacking. However, Assange has maintained his innocence, arguing that he was acting as a journalist and that his actions were protected by the First Amendment.
The extradition battle has been a long and complicated one, with numerous twists and turns. In January 2021, a British court ruled that Assange could be extradited to the US. However, Assange appealed the decision, and in December 2021, the High Court overturned the extradition order.
The US government has since appealed the High Court's decision to the Supreme Court. However, it is unclear when the Supreme Court will hear the case.
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