Samourai Wallet co-founder William Lonergan Hill sentenced to four years in crypto mixing service case

Samourai Wallet co-founder William Lonergan Hill was sentenced to four years in prison by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for his role in operating a crypto mixing service that prosecutors claimed helped criminals launder illicit funds. This sentencing followed that of his former colleague, CEO Keonne Rodriguez, who received the maximum five-year term. Both men pleaded guilty in July after initially denying the charges. In addition to prison time, both Rodriguez (37) and Hill (67) were each sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine, having already forfeited over $6.3 million. Prosecutors stated that Samourai was designed to transmit criminal proceeds, and the sentences aim to send a clear message about the consequences of laundering criminal proceeds using technology like cryptocurrency mixers. The case is part of a broader regulatory focus on crypto mixing services, exemplified by the ongoing case involving Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm.

(Source：The Block)