Why Trump Should Pardon The Developers of Bitcoins Non Custodial Samourai Wallet
The article argues President Trump should pardon Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill due to flawed money transmission charges.Summary
Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of the non-custodial Samourai Wallet, is set to surrender to prison on December 18th after being convicted on the weakest charge, "unlicensed money transmission," despite the software providing users with privacy comparable to banks. Prosecutors advanced a novel legal theory that custodial control is unnecessary for MSB licensing, a stance contradicted by FinCEN guidance at the time, which the DoJ allegedly withheld from the defense, potentially violating Brady v. Maryland. Policy experts warn that collapsing the distinction between developing privacy software and operating a service creates untenable risk for innovation. Given Donald Trump's past promises to defend self-custody and his victory over anti-crypto politicians, the article urges him to pardon Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, likening their case to that of Ross Ulbricht, to uphold privacy rights and signal opposition to surveillance-based financial systems.
(Source：Bitcoin Magazine)