Julian Assange became a free man on Wednesday Australia time after pleading guilty to espionage charges brought by the U.S. government in exchange for his freedom. And while it’s unclear whether the WikiLeaks co-founder will restart his work publishing secrets anytime soon, Assange doesn’t need to worry about the cost of the private jet that flew him out of the UK. An anonymous Bitcoin whale donated roughly $500,000 to cover that for him.
Charges against Assange were originally brought by Donald Trump’s DOJ, which is somewhat ironic given the fact that Assange’s leaks in the lead up to the 2016 election helped Trump win the White House. Fiat currency donations to Assange currently sit at £387,359 from over 8,000 donors, the equivalent to roughly $490,000. The remaining funds after the flight is paid for will go to Assange’s “recovery and well-being,” according to the crowdfunding campaign.