14 Nov Future of Ohio Bitcoin program, deemed illegal, in limbo
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Resuming Ohio’s attempt to allow cryptocurrency in certain tax payments is up in the air after the state’s top lawyer found a Bitcoin program launched by the former state treasurer was illegal.
Republican Attorney General Dave Yost found then-Treasurer Josh Mandel skirted state law when he launched the OhioCrypto.com website last year for business tax payments.
Yost’s legal opinion, issued Nov. 5, found that Atlanta-based BitPay, the state’s third-party processor, was functioning as a “financial transaction device.” That meant a competitive selection process, as well as the sign-off of the state Board of Deposit, was required to hire them. Messages seeking comment were left with Mandel and BitPay.
Treasurer Robert Sprague, a fellow Republican who succeeded Mandel in January,
abruptly shut down the site
last month after an internal review raised issues.
The deposit board, which he chairs, requested Yost’s…
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