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Keonne Rodriguez, a Samourai Wallet co-founder, has appealed to the crypto community for donations after his legal case left him with heavy debt. He said legal fees reached $2 million, while the sentencing judge imposed a $250,000 fine.
Rodriguez appealed in an X post on Wednesday. He said he had run out of options after months of defense work, court filings, and legal costs tied to the case.
Samourai Wallet co-founders Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill received prison terms on Nov. 19. Rodriguez received five years, while Hill received four years for their roles in the crypto-mixing protocol.
The case began in April 2024, when U.S. authorities charged Rodriguez and Hill with money laundering conspiracy and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. They first pleaded not guilty.
Then, in July 2025, both men agreed to plead guilty to one charge of operating an illegal money transmitter. The case moved forward as crypto privacy advocates followed each step closely.
The case also sits beside the closely watched prosecution of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm. Supporters of both cases argue that developers should not face liability for third-party software use.
Crypto advocates say the convictions risk criminalizing open-source privacy tools. They also argue that the cases could restrict privacy rights across blockchain networks.
Rodriguez said the case wiped him out financially. He pointed to legal bills, defense preparation, and other debts tied to the attempt to fight the charges.
The financial pressure adds another layer to the wider legal debate. Supporters argue that privacy developers should not carry the blame for every user action.
At the same time, critics of Samourai point to Justice Department claims that the service helped criminals hide proceeds. Prosecutors said Samourai knowingly transmitted more than $237 million in criminal proceeds.
Read More: Samourai Wallet Founder Sentenced for 5 Years in Crypto Laundering Case
Rodriguez also discussed his earlier hopes for a pardon. U.S. President Donald Trump said last December that he would review Rodriguez’s case and explore possible clemency.
An online petition for Rodriguez’s pardon had gathered 15,953 signatures as of Thursday. Even so, Rodriguez said his own chances now appear low.
He compared his situation with Trump’s pardons of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao and Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. Rodriguez said he lacked money, power, and influence.
Rodriguez said he once hoped to work his way out of the debt. Now, he said, the reality of serving a full sentence makes that impossible.
Keonne Rodriguez’s donation appeal follows a costly legal fight tied to the Samourai Wallet case, including $2 million in legal debt and a $250,000 fine. The case remains central to the debate over crypto privacy tools, developer liability, and U.S. enforcement against mixing services.
