Umanoide, Unsplash
On November 6, 2025. Keonne Rodriguez, the co-founder of the cryptocurrency mixer Samourai Wallet, was sentenced for to 60 months in federal prison for the crime of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business in violation of 18 U.S.C § 371. The two-count indictment, filed on February 14, 2024, alleged that Defendants Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill developed, marketed, and operated a cryptocurrency mixing service know as Samourai Wallet, an unlicensed money transmitting business that earned millions of dollars by laundering over $100 million dollars of crime proceeds originating from illegal dark web markets.
Defendant Rodriquez pled guilty to Count II (Conspiracy to Operate a Money transmitting Business) on July 29, 2025. The next day, Defendant Hill plead guilty to Count II. The defendants both entered to preliminary orders of forfeiture and money judgment to forfeit $237,832,360.55 (representing the amount of property involved in Count II of the indictment) and make a payment to the United States in the amount of $6,367,139.69 before the sentencing date. Count I (Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering) was dismissed as a part of the plea deals.
At the sentencing, Defendant Rodriguez’s right, title and interest in $6,367,139.69 in U.S. currency, samouraiwallet.com and Samourai Wallet Google Play Application was forfeited to the United States. In addition to the 60 months prison sentence, the Court fined Defendant Rodriquez $250,000. Defendant Hill is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2025.
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