Ethereum Developer Arrested in Turkey Over Alleged Network Misuse

An Ethereum developer, “Fede’s Intern,” has been detained in Turkey over allegations of enabling the “misuse” of the Ethereum blockchain. The claims highlight the growing legal risks faced by blockchain infrastructure builders.

Ethereum Developer Disputes Turkey’s Allegations

Ethereum developer Fede’s Intern shared on X that he had been detained in Turkey for charges surrounding network misuse on Ethereum.  He shared that the Turkish authorities informed his legal counsel that potential charges could be filed.

He dismissed the allegations as unfounded, describing himself as an infrastructure builder whose work is fully transparent. 

“We are just infra builders. Everything we do is in the open,” he wrote, stressing that neither he nor his companies have engaged in any form of criminal activity.

The Ethereum developer said he operates companies across more than a dozen industries, headquartered in Europe and with ties to governments in multiple countries. He revealed that senior contacts in Europe, the US, the UAE, and Asia have been approached to help resolve the matter. There are now discussions underway about possibly leaving Turkey to continue his legal defense abroad.

Turkish authorities have yet to define what constitutes “misuse” in this context publicly. They have also not confirmed whether formal charges are in place. Fede’s Intern said the country’s interior minister accused him of assisting others in exploiting Ethereum. However, he insists that he is prepared to work closely with Turkish authorities as well as those of any other government.

International Blockchain Disputes Grow in Crypto Space

This new arrest has triggered debate within the cryptocurrency sector. Many analysts are warning that vague allegations could set a troubling precedent for open-source developers. Regardless of how others use it, critics contend that writing or maintaining blockchain code is not intrinsically unlawful.

This incident raises concerns about Turkey’s approach to regulating cryptocurrency. Recently, the country has increased its regulation of digital assets. It has set licensing requirements for exchanges and improved its controls against money laundering. Some members of the community worry that this case may lead to stricter enforcement actions.

The situation has drawn comparisons to earlier incidents involving Binance executives. As CoinGape previously reported, Binance’s official Nadeem Anjarwalla was arrested in Kenya for circumstantial charges. The cases involving blockchain developers and exchange staff have led to discussions about whether governments are going too far in their actions. 

Although the Ethereum developer situation is different from Binance’s legal issues, they both show how blockchain technology is increasingly crossing paths with international law. In this area, accusations can quickly become serious, and the complexities of laws across different regions can make results hard to predict.

Some in the crypto community believe translation issues or misunderstandings about blockchain infrastructure could be driving the allegations. Others suspect the arrest may be connected to a larger enforcement sweep earlier announced by Turkey’s interior ministry.