The Ethereum community is in shock after one of its well-known developers, Fede’s Intern, was detained in Izmir, Turkey, over the weekend. The accusation? Turkish authorities say he helped people “misuse” the Ethereum network, a charge many in the crypto community are calling vague, unfair, and potentially dangerous for blockchain innovation.
So, what’s next, now?
“We’re Just Infra Builders”
This incident came into the spotlight when an ETH dev Fede’s Intern, an Argentinian crypto researcher, posted a tweet stating that he had been detained in Turkey, after Turkey’s Minister of Internal Affairs personally accused him of this so-called “misuse.”
But no one — not even legal experts—seems to know what actions fall under that term.
Fede’s Intern insists he has done nothing wrong. In his own words, the developer insists he and his team are “just infrastructure builders,” creating technology, not committing crimes.
He says he is open to cooperating fully with the authorities and has already brought in a legal team.
The Fight to Leave Turkey
While still in Turkey, the developer revealed he was moved to a private room, given food, and told he may be able to fly to Europe, possibly by private jet, to contest the allegations from abroad.
He claims he has contacted influential connections across Europe, the US, Asia, and the UAE to push for his release.
Crypto Community Support and Skepticism
Messages of support have reportedly come from figures in the Ethereum and Solana communities, with some offering legal help. At the same time, skepticism has emerged.
Some believe the detention might stem from translation errors or misunderstandings about how blockchain works. One of the Turkish crypto commentators has argued there is “zero legal basis” for detaining someone over such an allegation.
Turkey, like many countries, applies existing commercial and criminal laws to crypto cases, which often leads to unclear or unusual charges.
What Now For ETH Developer?
For now, he remains in Turkey but is exploring options to leave, possibly flying to Europe to fight the allegations from abroad. His legal team is actively working on the case, while influential contacts across the globe are stepping in to assist.
It remains unclear whether the accusations target Fede’s Intern personally or his business operations.
