The developers behind Samourai Wallet pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money‑transmitting business.
The plea deal secures dismissal of the parallel money laundering conspiracy charge and caps potential prison time at five years. It also includes $237 million in forfeiture and a $400,000 fine.
Lee reported that Judge Jed Rakoff pressed Keonne Rodriguez to state his criminal conduct “in his own words.”
Rodriguez told the court that his role at the firm meant that he was aware users were using the wallet “to launder criminals’ money.” Prosecutors argued that the knowledge alone is sufficient for a 60 month sentence even if they were not involved in the laundering.
Shapiro noted that had both counts gone to verdict, combined federal guidelines would have pointed to 160 to 210 months. By pleading to the unlicensed transmission conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 1960, the developers face a statutory maximum of five years rather than a potential decade-plus exposure.
Defense‑side reaction framed the outcome as a pragmatic hedge rather than a legal endorsement of the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) theory.
Tuminelli added that the pleas don’t change the policy fight over how the law should apply to open‑source wallet software. She said:
“Plea deals are risk calculations.”
The authorities also issued a warrant that removed the Android app from Google Play for US users.
The app, one of the best‑known privacy‑focused Bitcoin wallets, had been downloaded over 100,000 times.
