# Assange Freed from Prison Following U.S. Plea Deal

*Author: David Christopher*
*Published: Jun 25, 2024*
*Source: https://www.bankless.com/de/assange-freed-from-prison-following-u-s-plea-deal*

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Julian Assange has been freed following a plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice, marking the end of his long legal battle.

### What's the scoop?
- **Release and Plea Deal:** Assange’s plea deal [ends](https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2024/06/25/julian-assange-reaches-plea-deal-with-us-doj/) five years in a U.K. jail following nearly seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London 
- **Legal and Financial Support:** [AssangeDAO](https://x.com/silkenoa/status/1805529464056446980) played a crucial role in funding his defense, raising over 16,500 ETH, with more than 11,000 ETH ($37M) allocated for legal costs and campaigning. Some in the community have asked for greater transparency in how those funds have been spent.
- **WikiLeaks and Crypto:** The relationship between WikiLeaks and cryptocurrency goes [back to 2011](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2014/09/16/assange-bitcoin-and-wikileaks-helped-keep-each-other-alive/), when the site first started accepting Bitcoin donations. These donations provided essential funding during financial blockades, helping sustain WikiLeaks's operations. 

### Bankless Take:
This deal likely marks the end of Julian Assange's jail time. During his time in prison, Assange remained [confined to a 2x3-meter cell](https://www.theguardian.com/media/live/2024/jun/25/julian-assange-prison-release-live-updates-plea-deal-return-australia-wikileaks-leaves-uk), where he was isolated 23 hours a day. As a highly public figure fighting for values that crypto holds near and dear, Assange's release is long overdue and acts as a reminder that the values of a free and open web will not always come easy.

> [#JulianAssange](https://twitter.com/hashtag/JulianAssange?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) is finally free! Only the generous donations from the contributors to the [@AssangeDAO](https://twitter.com/AssangeDAO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) made this outcome possible! [@AssangeDAO](https://twitter.com/AssangeDAO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)'s aim to free Julian by whatever means possible has been achieved! [pic.twitter.com/q5MgVe97X1](https://t.co/q5MgVe97X1)— Silke Noa (@silkenoa) [June 25, 2024](https://twitter.com/silkenoa/status/1805529464056446980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)