Trump Hints at Samourai Wallet Pardon — Another After CZ, Ulbricht
Donald Trump stated he would review the case of Samourai Wallet CEO Keonne Rodriguez, who was recently jailed for money laundering.Summary
President Donald Trump indicated he would consider pardoning Keonne Rodriguez, CEO of Samourai Wallet, who was recently sentenced to five years for money laundering related to operating a cryptocurrency mixing service. Trump made the comment after being questioned about the case during a press briefing, stating he would "look at it." Rodriguez and co-founder William Lonergan Hill were convicted for facilitating the laundering of over $237 million in criminal proceeds, though supporters hope this signals a move toward crypto-friendly policies.
The prosecution successfully argued against the defense that they were merely privacy tool developers, presenting evidence that Rodriguez and Hill actively promoted their service to criminals on platforms like Dread and Twitter, with Rodriguez once calling mixing "money laundering for bitcoin." The funds processed allegedly came from various illicit activities.
The case has intensified the debate over developer liability for decentralized platform use. Speculation has arisen that Roman Storm, the Tornado Cash developer convicted on related charges, might also be considered for clemency, following Trump's pattern of pardoning crypto figures like Changpeng Zhao (CZ) and Ross Ulbricht.
(Source：BeInCrypto)