The post He Let Ohio Pay Taxes in BTC, Now He’s Lost $1. 2 Millicom. Former Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel, once hailed as an early political champion of Bitcoin, has revealed a personal loss of more than $1. 2 million on call options tied to BlackRock’s i Long before retail Bitcoin speculation reached mainstream America, Josh Mandel helped Ohio “plant a flag” for crypto adoption. In November 2018, as State Treasurer, he launched OhioCrypto. com, the first US government platform allowing businesses to pay state taxes in Bitcoin. The payments, processed through BitPay, were automatically converted into US dollars for the state treasury. Sponsored Sponsored At the time, Mandel described Bitcoin as “a legitimate form of currency” and positioned Ohio as a leader in blockchain innovation. “We’re looking to plant a flag for Ohio,” he told reporters, arguing that the move would modernize state finances and attract tech-forward businesses. The.