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Another tech founder requests for a Trump pardon
Following in the footsteps of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, the founders of Samourai Wallet have now requested a presidential pardon.
On Oct. 23, U.S. President Donald Trump granted a pardon to Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who had pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. U.S. authorities accused him of operating an unregistered exchange, selling unregistered securities, and failing to maintain adequate anti-money-laundering controls.
The move represented a dramatic turnaround for the head of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and suggests that a future Trump administration could adopt a far more lenient stance toward digital asset regulation.
What happened to Samourai Wallet?
In July, Samourai Wallet founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill pleaded guilty to conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business after prosecutors dropped more serious money-laundering charges.
Prosecutors say users relied on Samourai’s privacy tools — including its Whirlpool coin-mixing service launched in 2019 and its Ricochet hop-adding tool from 2017 — to obscure Bitcoin (BTC) transaction trails. Authorities allege more than 80,000 BTC (over $2 billion) flowed through the service, generating about $6 million in fees.
Prosecutors also claim Hill promoted Samourai on darknet forum Dread as a tool to “clean dirty BTC,” while Rodriguez allegedly encouraged Twitter hackers in 2020 to use Whirlpool and described Bitcoin mixing on WhatsApp as “money laundering for Bitcoin.”
Sentenced to four years in prison
On Nov. 19, U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote sentenced Hill, 67, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Two weeks earlier, Rodriguez received a five-year sentence and the same financial penalty — a case many in the crypto community argue poses a threat to open-source software development.
Samourai Wallet was a privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet designed to maximize user anonymity through features like coin mixing, Whirlpool, and advanced transaction obfuscation tools. It marketed itself as a “Bitcoin wallet for the streets,” emphasizing censorship resistance and surveillance protection. In 2024, its founders were arrested and the U.S. seized the operation, alleging the wallet facilitated large-scale money laundering.
Samourai wallet founders seek pardon
Rodriguez has called on Trump to issue a presidential pardon for himself and co-founder Hill. The plea was shared on X on Nov. 20.
“It would mean a lot if you would sign this petition calling Donald Trump to pardon me and Bill,” Rodriguez wrote, adding that “developers shouldn’t be liable for the actions of bad actors using their software.”
According to Rodriguez, the newly launched website billandkeonne.org was built by supporters to raise awareness about the case, explain its background, and collect signatures for the petition. The site also provides donation options for the families of both developers while they serve their sentences.
CZ also requested a pardon
On May 8, Zhao confirmed that he formally requested a presidential pardon from Trump for his money-laundering conviction — reversing earlier denials.
Speaking on a podcast aired May 6, Zhao said he “wouldn’t mind” a pardon and that his lawyers have already filed the paperwork.
“I got lawyers applying,” he said, adding that he submitted the request shortly after reports that he was seeking one amid discussions of a business deal involving the Trump family and Binance.US.
At the time, Zhao publicly denied those reports, but now admits the coverage influenced his decision: “If they’re writing this article, I may as well just officially apply.”
Zhao also said Trump’s earlier pardons of the BitMEX founders motivated him to take action.
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 as part of Binance’s $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities and later served a four-month sentence.
While a pardon would not erase the conviction, the DOJ says it could potentially allow Zhao to hold an operational role at Binance.US. Zhao, however, maintains he has “no plans to return to the CEO position,” saying the exchange’s team “doesn’t need me back.”
Trump’s crypto courtship deepens
Trump’s potential return to the White House has stirred renewed interest among digital asset supporters, as the president has recently shifted to a more pro-crypto stance.
Trump’s second term in the White House has been defined by a series of pro-crypto initiatives.
Among the most significant was the passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act of 2025, known as the GENIUS Act, on June 17. Approved by the U.S. Senate in a 68–30 vote, the law creates a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, digital assets pegged to traditional currencies like the U.S. dollar.
This article has been published in thestreet.com via Yahoo News.
Another tech founder requests for a Trump pardon
Following in the footsteps of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, the founders of Samourai Wallet have now requested a presidential pardon. On Oct. 23, U.S. President Donald Trump granted a pardon to Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who had pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act after ...
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