Pavel Blazek, the Czech Minister of Justice, resigned from his position following a scandal involving the sale of approximately 500 Bitcoins attributed to a convicted drug trafficker.

The case has drawn significant attention and initiated an investigation, coinciding with rising political tensions ahead of upcoming legislative elections.

On May 30, Blazek, a conservative politician, announced his resignation just days after the Ministry of Justice publicized via a tweet that it had auctioned the Bitcoins for nearly one billion Czech crowns (approximately €40 million).

According to Blazek, the funds raised from the sale were intended to support projects such as the digitization of the justice system, combating drug use in prisons, and improving housing for correctional staff.

However, media reports quickly raised concerns about the source of the Bitcoin funds.

The news outlet Denik N pointed out that the Bitcoins had originally been donated by Tomas Jirikovsky, a notorious criminal convicted in 2017 for embezzlement, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of weapons.

Jirikovsky was also noted for managing Sheep Marketplace, a dark web platform known for the sale of illegal goods.

The developments surrounding Blazek's resignation have prompted wider discussions regarding the integrity of financial transactions linked to the criminal underworld and the responsibilities of government officials in managing such cases.