Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek has resigned amid a scandal involving the sale of nearly $45 million worth of Bitcoin donated by a convicted drug trafficker, Tomas Jirikovsky. The controversy began when the Justice Ministry announced it had raised approximately 1 billion Czech koruna through an auction of nearly 500 Bitcoin, intended for projects like digitizing the justice system and combating drug use in prisons. Jirikovsky, sentenced in 2017 for drug trafficking and embezzlement, had offered a portion of his Bitcoin as a donation, which Blazek accepted without investigating its origins. Following public backlash and criticism from opposition leaders regarding the lack of due diligence, Blazek stepped down on May 30, emphasizing that he did not wish to harm the government's reputation. An investigation into the Bitcoin's origins has been launched by the police. Blazek's resignation occurred four months before legislative elections, adding to the pressure on his administration.

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