Samourai Wallet Developer Reports to Prison – Key Updates
On December 20, 2025, Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, reported to federal prison to begin serving a 5-year sentence. His conviction is related to building and maintaining a Bitcoin privacy tool, which authorities claim was used to launder criminal proceeds.
The crypto community is actively discussing the case, highlighting that Samourai Wallet is a non-custodial privacy tool and questioning the legal basis for prosecuting developers for writing privacy-focused code. Many see this as a significant moment in the ongoing debate over privacy rights and innovation in blockchain technology.
There is ongoing speculation about a possible pardon from former President Trump, who recently stated he would "look at" Rodriguez's case. However, as of today, no pardon has been granted, and Rodriguez has begun his sentence.
