Samourai Wallet Co-Founder Could Join Trump’s List of Crypto Pardons

Under President Donald Trump, several crypto-related cases have been dropped, and multiple high-profile figures in the crypto sector have received pardons. Keonne Rodriguez, the co-founder of Samourai Wallet, may soon join this list as the president opens the possibility of a review.

Trump to Examine Rodriguez Case

Speaking to the press yesterday, Trump indicated that he would look into Rodriguez’s case, noting that he does not yet have detailed knowledge of the situation. The president made the comments when asked about Rodriguez’s recent five-year federal prison sentence for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, handed down last month. While acknowledging that parts of the cryptocurrency community have called for clemency, Trump did not express an opinion on the conviction or sentence. He emphasized only that the case would receive attention.

You think he should be pardoned? Sounds like it, based on your question. Rodriguez… we’ll look at that, Pam. Okay. Let’s take a look at it. You’ll have to tell me. I don’t know anything about it, but we’ll take a look.

The statement has sparked discussion across the cryptocurrency community. Analyst Crypto Patel suggested that a pardon for Rodriguez could be transformative for Bitcoin privacy tools. Patel argued that such an action would signal that the U.S. is willing to support innovation in the crypto space without unnecessary regulatory overreach.

Rodriguez also responded to the attention, expressing appreciation for the support advocating for clemency. He said that the encouragement from the crypto community has had an impact and expressed hope that President Trump might act quickly to resolve the matter.

Legal Background and Case Details

Rodriguez, who is set to begin his prison term in the coming days, remains hopeful that a pardon might be granted. He recently explained in an interview that accepting the plea agreement was essentially his only option, as it limited his ability to appeal. The agreement reduced a potential 25-year sentence to five years for operating an unlicensed financial transfer operation, significantly altering the potential consequences of the case.

In November, Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, another key figure behind Samourai Wallet, were convicted of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, with authorities tracing more than $237 million in allegedly illicit transactions through the platform. The investigation, which began under the Biden administration, continued under the Trump Justice Department and ultimately led to their convictions. Rodriguez was sentenced to five years in prison, while Hill, 67, received a four-year term, reduced due to his age and a recent autism diagnosis.

Along with their prison sentences, both were fined $250,000 each and paid over $6.3 million in forfeiture, covering fees collected through Samourai Wallet as part of an order related to the total $237.8 million in transactions linked to the platform.

Trump’s Track Record Boosts Rodriguez’s Optimism

Despite the uncertainty over a pardon, Rodriguez’s optimism is supported by the president’s record in the crypto space. After assuming the presidency, Trump has issued clemency to several notable individuals in the industry, including Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former CEO of Binance, who was released after a short sentence, and Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road marketplace, who had been sentenced to life in prison.

Trump’s history of crypto-related clemency has been seen as a signal to the industry that innovation could be encouraged without excessive government intervention. Rodriguez and Hill’s cases now test whether this pardon trend will continue.