Samourai Wallet

Samourai Wallet

Developers

Keonne Rodriguez, William Lonergan Hill (historical)

Samourai Wallet was a Bitcoin-focused privacy wallet and associated Whirlpool mixing service. Founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill developed the software. U.S. authorities seized the project's website in April 2024 in connection with the criminal case described below.

Product

Samourai Wallet offered mobile bitcoin wallet features aimed at privacy-conscious users, including coin-control oriented tools and Whirlpool, a collaborative mixing service. Detailed feature lists and claimed volumes beyond court-related reporting are not expanded here.

Arrests and indictment allegations

On 24 April 2024 Rodriguez was arrested in the United States and Hill in Portugal on charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice / Southern District of New York. An indictment alleged money-laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Prosecutors alleged that Samourai Wallet was used to launder more than $100 million in criminal proceeds; those volume figures remain indictment allegations. The Iceland-hosted Samourai website was seized, and a seizure warrant targeted the Google Play listing.

Guilty pleas

On 30 July 2025, before U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in the Southern District of New York, Rodriguez and Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The money-laundering conspiracy count was dropped under the plea. They agreed to forfeit almost $238 million combined, with $6.3 million to be paid before a November sentencing date.

Sentencing

On 6 November 2025 Judge Cote sentenced Rodriguez to five years in prison, the statutory maximum for the count of conviction, plus three years of probation upon release and a $250,000 fine. Hill was to be sentenced later that month.

See also

• Privacy
• Wallets
• Mixing service

External links

• CoinDesk arrest report
• CoinDesk plea report
• CoinDesk Rodriguez sentencing report