Trump Considers Reviewing Convicted Samurai Wallet Co-Founder Case

US President Donald Trump has indicated he will take a closer look at the case of Keonne Rodriguez, the convicted developer of Samurai Wallet, suggesting he may consider a pardon.

Key Takeaways

US President Donald Trump is considering reviewing the case of Keonne Rodriguez, a co-founder of Samurai Wallet, who has been convicted and sentenced to prison.
Rodriguez is optimistic about the possibility of receiving a presidential pardon due to public support.
He believes that he may have waived his right to appeal his sentence when he took a plea deal, making an appeal unlikely.
Historically, Trump has granted pardons to other prominent figures in the cryptocurrency space.

Trump Considers Reviewing Convicted Samurai Wallet Co-Founder Case

On November 19, Rodriguez and fellow co-founder William Lonergan Hill were sentenced to five and four years in prison, respectively, due to their participation in a cryptocurrency mixing protocol. At a recent White House press conference focused on border issues, Trump responded to questions about the case, stating, "I’ve heard about it, I’ll look at it." He added, "Okay, let’s take a look at it. You know, you’ll have to tell me. I don’t know anything about it, but we’ll take a look."

Cryptocurrencies, Law, Wallet, United States, Court US President Donald Trump has promised to review the case of Samurai Wallet developer Keonne Rodriguez. Source: YouTube

Privacy advocates and cryptocurrency users have been vocal supporters of Rodriguez and Hill, along with Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, claiming that developers should not be held accountable for how others use their software.

Samurai Co-Founder Says Support is Effective

Rodriguez, who is slated to begin his prison sentence this week, expressed gratitude towards supporters in a post on social media, stating that their “continued noise” is making an impact. He thanked people pushing for a presidential pardon for both him and Hill, saying, “Thank you to everyone pushing Donald Trump to pardon Bill and me. Let’s get this over the line.”

In a recent interview with Bitcoin educator Natalie Brunell, Rodriguez expressed optimism about the potential for a pardon if the case is brought to Trump and his administration. He noted, “Because President Trump has been touched by a DOJ that was weaponized against him, I think when he sees the facts laid out on the table, he will know exactly what’s going on.”

Appeal Unlikely for Rodriguez

Rodriguez further explained that he believes he may have given up his right to appeal the sentence when he accepted the plea deal, stating, “I’m not 100% on that, but my understanding is appeal is pretty unlikely.” He and Hill initially pleaded not guilty, but opted to plead guilty to one count of operating an illegal money transmitter in July.

They faced serious charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, both of which come with significant prison terms. Up until his sentencing, Rodriguez expressed regret over pleading guilty, fearing that crucial evidence that could support his defense, such as seeking legal advice before launching Samurai Wallet, would not be admitted in court.

Rodriguez calculated that with the potential for a 25-year conviction, even if he appealed, he might face five years in prison while waiting for an appeal decision. He also noted that the costs associated with an appeal would reach approximately $7 million, on top of the $4.5 million he already spent to reach this point.

Past Pardons by Trump

Since taking office, President Trump has granted pardons to notable figures, including Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who was pardoned in October following a guilty plea in November 2023 for failing to maintain an effective Anti-Money Laundering program, violating the Bank Secrecy Act. He's also pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous Silk Road darknet marketplace, who had been serving a life sentence since January.

Related:_ After Samourai, DOJ’s Money-Transmitter Theory Now Looms Over Crypto Mixers_