The Czech Ministry of Justice is under heavy fire after an independent audit revealed that it should have rejected a $45 million Bitcoin donation linked to a convicted criminal. The crypto gift, accepted in 2024, came from a former darknet market operator and drug dealer. It was later sold by the ministry in a series of public auctions. The fallout was immediate — Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned, and the scandal continues to rattle the government ahead of critical elections.
⚠️ Audit: Ministry Should Have Rejected Donation Due to Criminal Risk
An external audit conducted by Grant Thornton concluded that officials were aware of the potential risks surrounding the crypto donation. Despite knowing that the funds might be connected to criminal activity, the ministry accepted the gift without conducting proper due diligence — a serious breach of public administration standards.
“The Ministry of Justice was aware of relevant circumstances indicating a significant risk that the donation may have originated from criminal proceeds,” the report states.
“Under these circumstances, the Ministry should not have accepted the donation without further verification.”
The findings were first reported by Czech Radio and later cited by Politico, which highlighted the growing political implications just weeks before October’s parliamentary elections.
🧨 Minister Blažek Resigns, Denies Wrongdoing
The crypto scandal erupted into a major political controversy, forcing the resignation of Justice Minister Pavel Blažek, a member of the ruling ODS party. Blažek has maintained that he did nothing illegal, insisting that he acted in good faith and within the law.
On social media platform X, Blažek dismissed the media narrative surrounding the audit:
“There are new findings, just enough for catchy headlines, but with outdated content.”
He further argued that unless a court convicts the donor of a crime directly tied to the donated bitcoins, any talk of an invalid donation agreement is irrelevant. If the Czech government were to void the contract, it would be forced to return the crypto to the donor, Blažek warned, effectively “closing a decade-long chapter of government inaction” with nothing to show for it.
👥 New Minister, Ongoing Audit, and Political Fallout
Following Blažek’s departure, Eva Decroix, also from the ODS, took over as Minister of Justice. She vowed to fully investigate the incident ahead of the October elections. Only the first part of the Grant Thornton audit has been made public so far; the second is expected to be released by the end of August.
Meanwhile, the National Centre for Combating Organized Crime is investigating whether the bitcoin gift was the product of money laundering. If proven, the case could escalate into criminal proceedings.
Opposition lawmakers have called for wider accountability and demanded more resignations. However, Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura has refused to step down. He acknowledged that he was aware of Blažek’s plan to accept the cryptocurrency, but claimed he had tried to dissuade him from doing so.
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