- Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of Samourai wallet, pleaded not guilty to charges of operating a money transmitter and engaging in money laundering yesterday
- Rodriguez, aged 35, was released on a $1 million bond
- The charges are linked to Rodriguez’s role in creating and marketing the privacy-focused bitcoin wallet app
Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of the non-custodial bitcoin wallet Samourai, yesterday entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of operating a money transmitter and engaging in money laundering. The charges stem from his involvement in creating and marketing the privacy-focused bitcoin wallet application and mixing service in association with William Hill, who was also arrested last week. Rodriguez, aged 35, was released on a $1 million bond, secured by his property in Harmony, Pennsylvania.
$2 Billion in Anonymous Transactions
Rodriguez and Hill were charged with facilitating over $2 billion in anonymous transactions, mostly from criminal activities, between 2015 and February 2024. Their arrests followed an investigation between authorities in the US and Iceland, with the wallet and its accompanying mixing service shuttered as a result.
Prosecutors allege that their platform facilitated more than $100 million in money laundering transactions from illegal dark web markets. The charges against Rodriguez and Hill have sparked an outcry within the crypto industry, with many expressing concerns about the potential criminalization of financial privacy.
Two Weeks Until Next Appearance
Rodriguez appeared in a Manhattan courtroom yesterday, where he entered a plea of not guilty, with bail set at $1 million. The release conditions include strict monitoring, with his movements tracked via geolocation technology, and confinement to his residence, except for court proceedings.
He is also prohibited from operating, working for, or performing services for Samourai Wallet and is restricted from contacting Hill unless in the presence of legal counsel, with the latter facing extradition from Portugal to face similar charges.
Rodriguez will appear next in Manhattan on May 14, before District Judge Richard Berman.
