In the US, the federal perjury can lead to a penalty of up to five years in prison.
Experts argue that the cause is unlikely to prosper.
Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has sent the president of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, to the Department of Justice (DOJ), accusing him of lying under oath.
According to the legislator, Powell would have incurred perjury during an audience before the Senatorial Committee of Banking, Housing and Urban Affairsheld on June 25, 2025. In that context, the head of the Fed answered questions about the controversial renewal of the Eccles building, headquarters of the agency, and, according to Luna, issued “false statements” under oath.
Among the points questioned, Powell would have justified the renewal claiming that “there is no VIP dining room, or new marble… there are no special elevators, only the ancients who were already; There are no new water sources, nor hives, nor gardens on the roof terrace ».
However, according to Luna, that statement is false. The official argues that, according to the final documents that the Federal Reserve itself presented to the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC), almost all the elements mentioned by Powell – with the exception of the hives – are contemplated in the plans of the renewal project.
Another of the Signs It refers to Powell’s statement that the Eccles building “had never had a serious renewal.” Luna affirms that this statement is also false, and argues that between 1999 and 2003 an integral renewal of the property was carried out, which included the replacement of the roof, of all the main systems and a complete restoration of the interior and patio spaces.
Also, in a letter sent separately to the director of the Office of Management and Budget (WBO), Russell Vought, the congressman said that Powell would also have misrepresented the reasons behind the increase in the budget for renewal, which went from 1.9 billion to 2.5 billion dollars.
Powell ha refused the accusations and has requested internal investigation by the inspector general of the FED to review the project costs.
Meanwhile, the Fed has published information On its website, stating that renewal is necessary to modernize a historical building built in the 1930s and that does not include the aforementioned luxury characteristics. This answer seeks to counteract criticism and demonstrate transparency, but has not silenced speculation about Powell’s future.
The relationship with Bitcoin
Since Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, his administration has redoubled criticism against Jerome Powell, demanding interest rate cuts. Trump ha accused to the president of the Fed to always act late And he has suggested that his replacement could be sought soon.
Now, The impact of this new controversy in Bitcoin (BTC) will depend on how research progresses and its results. The accusations against Powell could be interpreted as a new attempt by the Trump administration for politicizing the Fed, which would put confidence in the country’s institutionality at risk.
Some analysts will interpret this political escalation as a sign that Powell’s resignation or dismissal could be imminent. The arrival of a president more aligned with Trump’s demands, especially his insistence on aggressive cuts of interest rates, would have significant implications for financial markets.
However, An attempt to remove Powell would not be a movement without consequences: This could harm financial assets, such as shares and Bitcoin, unless it is seen as a synonym for interest rate cuts in the short term that motivate markets.
In financial voltage contexts, Bitcoin usually shows correlation with stock markets, as cryptootics has reported. Even so, although Perjury’s accusations against Powell are serious, prove that he lied intentionally under oath implies very pronounced complications.
Although, that same institutional uncertainty could also benefit the creation of Satoshi Nakamoto in the medium term, by strengthening its image as a refuge before scenarios of political or economic instability.
Experts cited by US media consider unlikely that the cause progresses, due to the type of tests required. In this context, Powell’s decision to request an internal audit, together with the institutional response of the Fed, could be enough to deactivate the conflict in the short term.
It should be noted that, according to the United States Code (18 USC § 1621), perjury in a federal context, such as Jerome Powell, It is punished with a penalty of up to five years of prisona fine, or both.
