Samourai Wallet co-founder posts US$1 mln bond in laundering case

Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of the privacy-focused crypto wallet Samourai Wallet, was granted release on a US$1 million bond.

Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business on Monday at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

His bond conditions include a prohibition on his operational role at Samourai Wallet, a ban on engaging in cryptocurrency transactions without court approval and restricted communication with co-founder William Hill, who is currently awaiting extradition from Portugal on similar charges.

The bond is secured against property in Harmony, Pennsylvania.

U.S. authorities allege Samourai Wallet has allegedly facilitated bypassing regulatory oversight for approximately US$2 billion, including over US$100 million in laundered criminal proceeds.

The operation has resulted in the seizure of Samourai Wallet’s infrastructure and the app’s removal from the Google Play Store in the U.S.

This legal development is part of a broader crackdown by U.S. authorities on cryptocurrency mixers, with the Justice Department and the Office of Foreign Asset Control actively targeting platforms like Blender and Tornado Cash.