Samourai Wallet Co-Founders Admit Guilt in Money Laundering Case

Co-founders of the cryptocurrency wallet Samourai Wallet, Keonn Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, have agreed to plead guilty in a case related to money laundering. Their lawyers have submitted the relevant motions to the federal court in New York.

Rodriguez and Hill are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmission business. The maximum penalty for the first charge is 20 years in prison, while the second charge could result in an additional five years. In total, they face up to 25 years behind bars.

A hearing regarding the change of plea has already taken place, but its impact on the sentencing remains uncertain. The trial is scheduled for November 3rd.

In April 2024, the founders were arrested on charges of facilitating the laundering of $100 million in illicit funds. According to authorities, Samourai Wallet has processed anonymous transactions totaling $2 billion since 2015.

On April 29th, Rodriguez was released on a $1 million bond, secured by property in Pennsylvania, along with the signatures of his wife and another family member. At that time, he denied the accusations of operating an unlicensed money transfer business and laundering crime proceeds.

Hill was released in July on a $2 million bond, $200,000 of which was in cash, with the remainder secured by his family’s home in New York.

It is worth noting that in May 2025, prosecutors rejected the defense’s claims of withholding critical information and refused to withdraw the charges, choosing to continue the legal proceedings.