President Donald Trump said he will review the case of Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, after the Bitcoin privacy software developer’s five-year federal prison sentence sparked debate across the cryptocurrency industry.
Trump signals interest in reviewing Rodriguez’s conviction
When asked by a reporter about Rodriguez’s case and the growing calls for clemency, Trump said, “I’ve heard about it. I’ll look at it.” He added, “I don’t know anything about it. But we’ll take a look.”
Trump made the comments during an event at the Oval Office, with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi present and taking note of the exchange. His remarks come as supporters in the crypto community amplify an online campaign urging the President to pardon both Rodriguez and his co‑founder William Lonergan Hill.
Rodriguez acknowledged Trump’s comments in a post on X, writing,
“Your continued noise is working. Thank you to everyone pushing @realDonaldTrump to pardon Bill and me. Let’s get this over the line. #pardonsamourai”
Background of the Samourai Wallet case
Rodriguez and Hill were convicted of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, a charge tied to their creation of Samourai Wallet, a non‑custodial privacy tool for Bitcoin users. The Department of Justice (DOJ) accused the pair of facilitating more than $2 billion in transactions and laundering over $100 million in illicit funds.
However, the prosecution’s money laundering charges were dropped after the developers agreed to plead guilty to the lesser offense of unlicensed money transmission, reducing potential 25‑year sentences to five and four years respectively. Hill’s age and recent autism diagnosis contributed to a slightly reduced sentence.
The DOJ maintained that Samourai’s tools, such as Whirlpool and Ricochet, were purpose‑built for criminal use. The government’s filings included chat messages in which Rodriguez referred to mixing as “money laundering for bitcoin.”
Prosecutors also alleged that Hill promoted the software on darknet forums, engaging directly with users who sought ways to conceal digital assets. One cited instance showed Hill recommending Whirlpool to a user who asked for a “secure method to clean dirty BTC.”
Legal and policy ramifications
Critics of the case, including multiple privacy advocates, argue the prosecution sets a dangerous precedent. They view it as an attack on privacy‑enhancing software and open‑source development. The defense maintained that Samourai Wallet never took custody of user funds and only provided tools to obfuscate transaction trails, which remains a legal use case in many jurisdictions.
Supporters say that punishing developers for the misuse of code by others undermines technological innovation. Developers of other privacy‑related tools, including Tornado Cash’s Roman Storm, have faced similar legal challenges under comparable statutes.
The U.S. Department of Justice under the Biden administration initiated the case in April 2024. After Trump returned to office, his Department of Justice dropped several legacy prosecutions but continued to pursue this one. During sentencing in November 2025, federal prosecutors pushed for the statutory maximum.
Rodriguez is set to report to federal prison on December 18, while Hill has already begun serving his four‑year sentence. Both were ordered to pay $250,000 in fines.
Trump’s crypto record and industry expectations
The President’s brief statement immediately reignited discussion about Trump’s stance toward privacy technology and cryptocurrency development. At the 2024 Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, Trump vowed to end what he called an “anti‑crypto crusade” and publicly backed the right to self‑custody and financial privacy.
Supporters of Rodriguez see a pardon as an opportunity for Trump to demonstrate that commitment. Critics, however, note that Trump’s DOJ still sought maximum sentencing for Rodriguez and Hill, raising uncertainty about whether clemency will follow.
Trump has already granted pardons to several prominent cryptocurrency figures since returning to the White House. Those include Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, BitMEX co‑founders, and Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht, signaling a willingness to intervene in contentious crypto legal cases.
Rodriguez has expressed modest hope for clemency but cautioned that he lacks the resources and influence that larger industry executives possess. “We’re not CZ,” he said, referencing the Binance founder’s financial power following a major investment from an Emirati sovereign fund.
“We don’t have billions of dollars. We don’t have the same type of influence people like that have.”
Broader debate over crypto privacy
The case and possible pardon have intensified debate around the balance between privacy rights and law enforcement oversight within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Advocacy groups warn of a “chilling effect” on developers building privacy tools if such prosecutions continue.
Despite his reputation as a crypto‑friendly president, Trump’s administration faces pressure to clarify how privacy tools fit into the broader regulatory framework of cryptocurrencies in the United States. A decision on clemency for Rodriguez could influence how future administrations and courts treat open‑source blockchain developers accused of facilitating crime.
Roman Zaika
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