Czech police have arrested Tomas Jirikovsky, the founder of the illegal darknet marketplace Sheep Marketplace, in connection with a $45 million Bitcoin bribery case linked to the resignation of former Justice Minister Pavel Blazek. Jirikovsky allegedly paid 468 BTC to secure his freedom from a new prison sentence and attempted to escape during a police raid. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the Treasury is still exploring ways to acquire Bitcoin, contradicting earlier comments that signaled a halt to purchases. Bitcoin's value recently fluctuated following his statements, dropping significantly from $121,073 to as low as $117,588 before recovering to around $119,045. Bessent's remarks emphasized the intention to build the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve through budget-neutral strategies, aligning with efforts to enhance the US position in the cryptocurrency sector.

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