Bitcoin Developer Jon Atack Briefly Arrested in El Salvador After Neighborly Dispute

Senior Bitcoin developer Jon Atack was arrested in El Salvador over the weekend following a dispute with a neighbor, sparking an online flurry of concern before he was freed about an hour later.

Atack, who contributes to Bitcoin Core, posted on microblogging platform X that police confiscated his phone and passport, cutting him off from the outside world and fueling fears in crypto circles.

Law enforcement initially told him he could be sent to a nearby prison, though he avoided that outcome.

The altercation appears tied to a disagreement over property issues rather than Atack’s crypto work. Stacy Herbert, director of El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office and a vocal supporter of President Nayib Bukele, said Atack’s neighbor accused him of “violence against women.”

Under El Salvador’s 2012 law known as Vida Libre de Violencia para las Mujeres (LEIV), which directly translates to “life free from violence for women,” violent speech and threats against women are criminal offenses.

Atack was released within minutes after being handcuffed, describing the officers as “professional and friendly.” He thanked supporters online, saying, “This was the first time I’ve been in cuffs and God willing also the last time.”