An Ethereum developer pseudonymously known as “Fede’s Intern” claims to have been detained in Izmir, Turkey.
Authorities accuse him of helping others “misuse” the ETH blockchain network, a charge he strongly denies.
“Very Troubling”
The Argentinian developer, who focuses on ZK and Ethereum projects, said Turkey’s Minister of Interior accused him of facilitating Ethereum misuse and that he was confined to a room.
In posts on social media platform X, he maintained that he and his associates are “just infra builders” working transparently and in the open. Their business operations span more than a dozen industries across Europe and collaborations with governments.
He is linked to projects including Lambda Class and Aligned. According to his account, local authorities told his lawyer he could face charges, which prompted him to limit public comments and urge followers to contact associates who could speak on his behalf.
He claimed to have engaged senior contacts in over 10 countries, including the US, UAE, and various Asian nations, while friends from multiple jurisdictions have contacted Turkish officials.
Fede’s Intern expressed readiness to cooperate with Turkish authorities or any government, while asserting that neither he nor his companies were involved in illicit activity. He also added that he might soon contest the allegations from abroad. His latest update reads:
“I couldn’t leave yet. In theory in 3 hours I’m out. Once I land in Europe I will explain everything we know. Thanks for everyone helping me get out of here. They wanted to take my phone since they considered it a security risk but thanks to some friends calls they didn’t.”
Bankless co-founder Ryan Sean Adams called the situation “very troubling.” He noted that the story was still developing and questioned the optics for the Ethereum community, especially with Istanbul having been floated as a potential location for DevCon 2026.
Compliance and AML Vigilance
Turkey has significantly tightened oversight of its crypto sector. For instance, tougher Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules came into effect on February 25, 2025. As such, all crypto transactions of more than 15,000 TRY would need user identification, and providers can curb or halt transactions deemed “risky.”
The Capital Markets Board (CMB) was given authority over crypto asset service providers (CASPs), including exchanges, custodians, and wallet services.
Since March 13, 2025, operators must obtain a license, meet capital requirements, which are around $4.1 million for exchanges, $13.7 million for custodians. In addition to that, operators must also integrate risk-management and compliance infrastructure, and submit frequent audits and transaction reports.
