Atlas21
  • ‎
No Result
View All Result
Atlas21
No Result
View All Result
Atlas21
Home Bitcoin

Samourai Wallet vs. the authorities: allegations of evidence concealment

Newsroom by Newsroom
May 12, 2025
in Bitcoin
samourai wallet
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin

The co-founders of Samourai Wallet claim that federal prosecutors concealed FinCEN guidance that would have cleared them of the charges.

The legal team representing Samourai Wallet’s co-founders has accused federal prosecutors of deliberately withholding information that could have exonerated the developers from the charges they are facing.

In a letter dated May 5, addressed to a federal court in Manhattan, attorneys for Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill revealed that prosecutors had been informed by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) — a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department — that Samourai Wallet did not require a license to operate. This communication reportedly took place months before the official charges were filed.

The attorneys stated:

“Shockingly, six months later, the same prosecutors criminally charged Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill with operating just such a business without a FinCEN license.”

According to the filing, this information was withheld for nearly a year, only surfacing on April 1, 2025, despite the legal obligation to disclose it earlier.

Rodriguez and Hill were charged in February 2024 with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges were made public in April, when both were arrested. The accusations center around Samourai’s mixing service, which prosecutors claim facilitated over $100 million in money laundering through illegal transactions totaling more than $2 billion.

Prosecutors argued the service enabled transactions tied to darknet markets and various scams. However, the defense emphasized that FinCEN had informed prosecutors that Samourai Wallet, as it did not hold custody of bitcoin, did not meet the definition of a “money services business” under existing guidelines. This clarification reportedly came during a conversation between prosecutors and FinCEN officials Kevin O’Connor and Lorena Valente, where it was determined that Samourai didn’t control users’ private keys or custody funds, and therefore likely did not qualify as a money transmitter.

Nevertheless, prosecutors proceeded with the charges, contending that Samourai exercised functional control over funds — a position not addressed in FinCEN’s official guidance and considered weak even by FinCEN officials.

samourai wallet
Source: CourtListener

Currently, Samourai’s defense team has requested a hearing to investigate the delay in disclosing this information and determine an appropriate remedy. If the government opposes dismissing the case, the defense plans to renew its motion, arguing that charges were brought without fair notice and that the company acted in good faith based on the guidance available at the time.

The defense also cited a recent memorandum from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, dated April 7, 2025, stating that the Department of Justice will no longer prosecute crypto mixers like Samourai for regulatory violations. This new directive prompted the defense to request dismissal of the case, insisting that under FinCEN guidelines, Samourai was not a money transmitter and could not be prosecuted for lacking a license.

Previous Post

Bitcoin Core: OP_RETURN limit removal announced

Next Post

Florida says no to Bitcoin: state treasury bills withdrawn

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Il futuro del mining? Green e decentralizzato
Bitcoin

The future of mining? Green and decentralized

by Plak
May 28, 2025
0

An analysis of the present and a look at the future of Bitcoin mining, between data, critical reflections and a...

Read moreDetails
Polemica Bitkey: il marketing di Dorsey divide la community
Bitcoin

Bitkey controversy: Dorsey’s marketing divides the community

by Newsroom
May 28, 2025
0

Block's hardware wallet sparks debate between security and borderline compromises.

Read moreDetails
Cantor Fitzgerald lancia i primi prestiti garantiti da bitcoin
Bitcoin

Cantor Fitzgerald launches first bitcoin-backed loans

by Newsroom
May 28, 2025
0

The Wall Street financial institution has signed strategic agreements for bitcoin-backed loans with Maple Finance and FalconX.

Read moreDetails
bitcoin
Bitcoin

Jack Dorsey’s Block to integrate Bitcoin payments into Square

by Newsroom
May 28, 2025
0

Jack Dorsey’s company is bringing bitcoin payments to the retail market through the Lightning Network.

Read moreDetails
bitcoin
Bitcoin

El Salvador: IMF ready to block new Bitcoin purchases

by Newsroom
May 28, 2025
0

The IMF wants to ensure that the Central American country stops buying more Bitcoin, despite President Bukele’s stance.

Read moreDetails
Atlas21

© 2025 Atlas21

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Home
  • Feature
  • Bitcoin
  • Careers
  • Opinion
  • Interviews
  • Privacy Policy
  • News
  • Learn
  • B2B
  • Press
  • Cookie Policy

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Learn
  • Feature
  • Services
  • Adoption
  • ‎
    • ‎

© 2025 Atlas21

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy with it.AcceptCookie