A Sizzling Saga: Samourai Wallet's Legal Woes
Prosecutors in the U.S. petition for delay in making a decision on dropping charges against Samourai Wallet.
In the bustling world of cryptocurrency, Samourai Wallet, a popular mixer service, has found itself embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle. Its co-founders, Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill, have been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly running an unlicensed money-transmitting business and laundering over $100 million through the platform. The duo has pleaded not guilty, facing up to 25 years in prison if found guilty [1][2][3].
A Twist in the Tale
The potential dismissal of these charges is triggered by a shift in the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) crypto enforcement policy, as outlined in a memo by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on April 7, 2025. This memo disbanded the DOJ's National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and emphasized that the department would primarily focus on cases involving harm to digital asset investors or the use of digital assets for criminal activities. The memo made it crystal clear that the DOJ "is not a digital assets regulator" [2][3][4].
The Game of Delays
Following the policy shift, the defense team for Samourai Wallet has collaborated with prosecutors to request a delay in court proceedings. On April 28, 2025, they submitted a letter to U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, asking for a 16-day extension of the pretrial motion deadlines. The aim is to avoid significant expenses for the defendants in preparing their motions while the government assesses its position. The proposed new deadlines stand at May 29 for motions, June 26 for responses, and July 10 for replies [2][3][4].
Prosecutors have accepted this delay without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case. A meeting between defense counsel and prosecutors on April 24, 2025, was held to discuss the potential dismissal based on the new policy [3][4].
The trial date, originally scheduled for early November, remains unchanged, although there is no proposal to alter it as per the continuance request [2].
To sum it up, the fate of the Samourai Wallet case rests on whether the government aligns its actions with the new DOJ policy, focusing solely on cases involving direct harm to investors or blatant criminal activity. If the charges are dropped, it could mark a turning point in how crypto mixers are treated under U.S. law.
[1] Samourai Wallet CEO arrested in connection with $100M money laundering case. (2024, April). Coin Desk. https://www.coindesk.com/business/2024/04/
[2] Samourai Wallet founders' case: DOJ shifts stance on crypto enforcement. (2025, April 28). The Block. https://www.theblockcrypto.com/
[3] Samourai Wallet case might be dropped due to DOJ's crypto policy shift. (2025, April 29). Crypto Quant. https://cryptocompare.com/crypto-news/articles/
[4] Deputy Attorney General issues memo to end DOJ's crypto enforcement team. (2025, April 7). Merkle. https://www.merkle.com/
- The legal battle for Samourai Wallet, a cryptocurrency mixer service, revolves around allegations of an unlicensed money-transmitting business and money laundering valued at over $100 million.
- Co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill have pleaded not guilty, potentially facing up to 25 years in prison.
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has changed its crypto enforcement policy, emphasizing focus on cases involving harm to digital asset investors or criminal activities.
- The defense team for Samourai Wallet has requested a 16-day extension of pretrial motion deadlines, citing expenses and assessment of the government's position.
- The trial date for Samourai Wallet remains unchanged, but it's unclear whether changes will be proposed due to the continuance request.
- The future of the Samourai Wallet case hinges on whether the government adheres to the new DOJ policy, focusing on direct harm to investors or blatant criminal activity.
- A dismissal of the charges could set a precedent for how crypto mixers are treated under U.S. law.
