Trump Considers Pardon for Samourai Wallet’s Rodriguez

Crypto News Regulation

Donald Trump Considers Pardon for Convicted Samourai Wallet's Keonne Rodriguez

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: December 16, 2025

Key Takeaways

Donald Trump said he will review the conviction of Samourai Wallet co-founder Keonne Rodriguez and suggested a pardon might be possible;
Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill were sentenced to five and four years for running a crypto-mixing service tied to money laundering;
Supporters argue the developers should not be blamed for users’ actions, as Rodriguez expresses hope Trump will grant clemency.

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Donald Trump Considers Pardon for Convicted Samourai Wallet's Keonne Rodriguez

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President Donald Trump said he plans to review the case of Keonne Rodriguez, one of the founders of Samourai Wallet, after his recent conviction.

The president also suggested that a pardon might be possible.

Rodriguez and co-founder William Lonergan Hill were sentenced on November 19. Rodriguez received a five-year prison sentence, and Hill received a four-year sentence. Both were charged for their roles in operating a crypto-mixing service linked to money laundering.

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When asked about the case during a White House press briefing focused on the Mexican border, President Trump said, "I’ve heard about it, I’ll look at it". He repeated that he did not yet know the details but was open to reviewing the situation.

Rodriguez is expected to begin his prison sentence this week. On December 15, he wrote on X:

Thank you to everyone pushing Donald Trump to pardon Bill and me. Let’s get this over the line.

In a recent interview with Bitcoin BTC $86,362.21 educator Natalie Brunell, Rodriguez said he believed a pardon could happen if the facts were presented directly to President Trump and senior officials.

He explained, "Because President Trump has been touched by a DOJ that was weaponized against him, I think when he sees the facts laid out on the table, he will know exactly what’s going on".

Recently, Changpeng Zhao’s lawyer denied claims that President Trump’s pardon involved money or improper influence. What did she say? Read the full story.