Blazek Quits After $45M Crypto Case Hits Justice Ministry

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Blazek Resigns After $45 Million Crypto Scandal Hits Justice Ministry

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: June 02, 2025

Key Takeaways

Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned after backlash over a $45 million Bitcoin donation tied to a past criminal case;
Bitcoin came from Tomáš Jiríkovský, convicted in 2017 for running an illegal dark website;
Blazek admitted he didn’t check the donation’s origin, which prompted criticism and a police investigation.

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Blazek Resigns After $45 Million Crypto Scandal Hits Justice Ministry

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Pavel Blazek has left his role as Czech justice minister after facing criticism over a large Bitcoin BTC $105,243.36 donation linked to a past criminal case.

In a May 30 post on X, Blazek stated, "After agreement with the Prime Minister Petr Fiala, I have decided to resign from the position of Minister of Justice".

Blazek added he had not broken any laws but did not want to harm the reputation of the government or the political alliance in power.

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On May 28, the Justice Ministry announced on X that it had earned around one billion Czech koruna (about $45 million) by auctioning off nearly 500 BTC.

Local outlet Denik N reported that the cryptocurrency had come from Tomáš Jiríkovský, a man convicted in 2017 for running Sheep Marketplace, a website used to sell illegal goods. His lawyer reportedly offered part of the Bitcoin to the ministry in March.

Blazek accepted the offer and said during a press conference that he did not look into where the Bitcoin came from since the case was too old to revisit, and that the donation seemed to show Jiríkovský’s intent to make up for past actions.

Opposition leaders questioned the judgment behind accepting money tied to a criminal record, and the police have launched an investigation to trace the origin of the Bitcoin.

As the issue gained attention, Prime Minister Fiala decided to distance himself from Blazek, despite their close political relationship.

Meanwhile, on May 29, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) charged a tech company based in the Philippines. Why? Read the full story.