by Enoch Mwathwa
A prominent Ethereum developer has been detained in Turkey, sparking concerns within the global crypto community. The arrest, linked to allegations of network misuse, comes amid the country’s growing crackdown on digital assets.
Ethereum Developer Detained in Izmir
Turkish authorities have detained an Ethereum developer known as “Fede’s Intern” in Izmir. Officials accused him of helping individuals misuse the Ethereum network. The developer, originally from Argentina, has denied any wrongdoing.
On August 11, the developer stated on X that his lawyer had been informed of the allegations. He described the claims as “obviously wrong” and maintained that his work focuses on blockchain infrastructure. Fede said he is attempting to leave Turkey to address the charges from abroad.
I’m in Turkey, Izmir. They are telling my lawyer that I helped people to misuse @ethereum and I might have a charge. You can imagine what it means. It’s obviously wrong, we are just infra builders.
I can’t say much because I don’t have information and I don’t know if I will…
— Fede’s intern
(@fede_intern) August 10, 2025
The case comes as Turkey enforces new rules for the crypto sector. The developer claims his work is legal and open, with business operations across multiple countries.
Allegations and Developer’s Response
The specific accusations remain unclear. No formal legal documents or public evidence have been provided. According to Fede, the allegations were made by Turkey’s Minister of Internal Affairs.
Fede stated that “privacy is not a crime” and urged authorities to prosecute actual criminal activity. He said he operates under a European holding company and works in cooperation with governments.
The developer also confirmed that friends and contacts in Europe, the U.S., the UAE, and Asia are intervening on his behalf. He mentioned that he might soon travel to Europe by private jet to fight the charges.
Community and Industry Reaction
The detention has drawn attention from the Ethereum and Solana communities. Ryan Sean Adams, an Ethereum advocate, called the case “very troubling” in a post on X. He also noted that Istanbul had been considered for Devcon 2026.
Turkish crypto commentator Cenk argued there was “zero legal basis” for detention based only on such claims. Some observers suggested the situation could involve a misunderstanding of blockchain technology or a translation error.
Fede, you go from I to we in this tweet. Are you personally being charged or is it due to an entity you’re affiliated with? Can you also confirm that your detention is not related to the recent wave of arrests that @TC_icisleri @AliYerlikaya announced on Sunday on the grounds of…
— Cenk (@0xCenk) August 10, 2025
Fede reported that he was moved to a private room and provided with food while arrangements for his departure were being made.
Turkey’s Crypto Regulations and Oversight
The arrest is right after Turkey enacts a transparent control of the cryptocurrency operations. Events The Capital Markets Board (CMB) has required stronger licensing conditions of exchange, custodian, and wallet providers since March.
The regulations compel the platforms to maintain fine records of transactions and statements of accounts each month. They should not make orders outside the authorized systems.
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance took extra precautions on crypto funds in June, as the transfer of funds is prohibited. The transactions have to be described in 20 characters, non-travel rule transfers must be paused in terms of withdrawal, and stablecoins must have restrained movements.
By July, restrictions extended to decentralized finance platforms. Access to PancakeSwap was blocked by Turkish internet service providers. The CMB has warned that other DeFi platforms, including non-custodial wallets, could face similar measures.
Next Steps
As of publication, Turkish authorities had not released an official statement about the arrest or potential charges. Fede has said he will provide more details once in Europe after consulting with legal counsel.
The developer expressed willingness to cooperate with authorities in Turkey or any other jurisdiction while defending against the accusations.
#blockchain #crypto, #decentralized, #distributed, #ledger
