Call for Presidential Pardon of Samourai Developers Grows as Petition Surpasses 3,200 Signatures

The call for a presidential pardon for Samourai wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill is intensifying, with advocates for Bitcoin and various policy organizations urging U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene before the two are scheduled to begin serving their prison sentences.

Key Takeaways

The Bitcoin Policy Institute is advocating for a presidential pardon for Samourai wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill.
The developers were sentenced for running an unlicensed money-transmitting business but had other charges dropped.
The petition for their pardon has received over 3,200 signatures, with backing from various Bitcoin advocates and groups.
Concerns are raised about the fairness and implications of recent pardons in the cryptocurrency space.

Call for Presidential Pardon of Samourai Developers Grows as Petition Surpasses 3,200 Signatures

Both Rodriguez and Hill were sentenced in November to five and four years in prison, respectively, after they pleaded guilty to conspiring to run an unlicensed money-transmitting business. As part of a plea bargain, they admitted to this conspiracy, while the more serious laundering charge was dropped. Unless a pardon is granted, they are set to report to prison in early January 2026.

Bitcoin Policy Institute Advocates for Pardon

Zack Shapiro from the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) argues for a full pardon, claiming that the legal interpretation in the Samourai case misapplies federal money-transmission law to non-custodial software.

Source: Keonne Rodriguez

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Pardon Would Clarify Legal Misinterpretations

On December 2, the Bitcoin Policy Institute released a thorough analysis advocating for the pardon. The BPI argues that the prosecution is rooted in an incorrect application of federal money-transmission laws and that non-custodial tools do not fit into the Bank Secrecy Act’s (BSA) money-transmitter category.

From the BPI's standpoint, classifying the Samourai developers as money transmitters blurs the critical legal line between software publishers and financial intermediaries. They also caution that upholding these convictions could stifle innovation in Bitcoin privacy tools within the United States.

The BPI states, "A pardon would rectify a clear misapplication of federal law, uphold the essential distinctions in financial regulation, and affirm that publishing non-custodial software is neither a crime nor should ever be considered one."

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Community Support for the Samourai Developers

As of now, the petition calling for a pardon for the Samourai developers has gathered over 3,200 signatures, reflecting strong backing from the Bitcoin community and beyond. On December 2, Walker America expressed their support publicly.

Max Keiser also reached out to Eric Trump on November 8, urging him to advocate for the developers amidst growing interest from Trump advisors.

The Libertarian Party of Oregon has also joined the call, championing a pardon and freedom of speech by stating, "Code IS speech!"

Examining the Context of Pardons

Since taking office, Trump has notably issued several pardons related to cryptocurrencies, including high-profile clemency for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.

This history raises concerns among members of the Bitcoin community about the fairness of pardons. Some question the optics of allowing a billionaire exchange founder, entangled in a compliance issue, to receive a pardon while two developers of open-source wallets face lengthy prison sentences.

Kyle Torpey, a Bitcoin researcher, expressed his concerns, saying, "The perceived corruption associated with the CZ pardon will appear even worse if the Samourai Wallet developers aren’t pardoned for similar charges. What level of influence is required to obtain a pardon?"

Time is running out as advocates emphasize that how this situation unfolds in the coming weeks will significantly impact the future of privacy-focused development in the U.S.—along with the destinies of these two software developers.

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