Vitalik: It's absurd that Roger Ver was sentenced to life imprisonment for non-violent tax crimes

On March 1, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stated that it is absurd to be sentenced to life imprisonment for non-violent tax crimes. The case against "Bitcoin Jesus" Roger Ver seems to have strong political motives; like the dark web Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, many individuals and companies have been charged with more serious crimes but faced much lighter sentences than what Roger Ve faced. If the IRS indeed threatened Roger Ve's lawyer to obtain confidential information, that would be a malicious act; the right of attorney-client privilege must receive inviolable protection. Genuine good faith errors should be corrected by giving the parties involved an opportunity to pay taxes (including interest and penalties), not through prosecution.