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On Monday, during a press conference in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump shared his desire to examine the possibility of a pardon for Keonne Rodriguez, the proprietor of Samourai Wallet.
During the Q&A session, Trump remarked that he had prior knowledge of the request and would take it into account. He subsequently called upon Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, to evaluate the case. Trump reiterated later in the day that he did not know the details at that time. Yet, he determined that his government would be more exacting in examining the request.
The remarks opened the door to possible clemency for Rodriguez. This development comes in as Rodriguez faces imminent imprisonment following a federal conviction tied to Samourai Wallet operations.
The president's statements raised one crucial question: Could this review signal another high-profile crypto-related pardon under Trump’s presidency?
Federal authorities arrested Keonne Rodriguez and Samourai Wallet co-founder, William Lonergan Hill, in April 2024. The arrests occurred during Joe Biden’s presidency.
Prosecutors accused the pair of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, also alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering tied to Samourai’s mixing feature. Rodriguez and Hill initially pleaded ‘not guilty’, arguing that Samourai Wallet functioned as a non-custodial privacy tool rather than a financial intermediary.
Hill’s defense later cited his autism diagnosis. Lawyers said it contributed to “magical thinking” about whether the wallet design shielded him from legal responsibility. Earlier this year, both men changed their pleas, admitting guilt to a lesser conspiracy charge in exchange for prosecutors dropping the money laundering count.
Last month, a federal court sentenced Rodriguez to five years in prison. Authorities tied the sentence to Samourai’s mixing feature, which they said helped clean illicit funds. Hill, who served as chief technology officer, received a four-year sentence.
Prosecutors claimed the platform encouraged users to obscure the origins of illegal proceeds. Federal filings said Samourai Wallet helped process millions of dollars linked to criminal activity. The government noted that the service lacked the required licenses.
Rodriguez now has four days remaining before reporting to FPC Morgantown. He acknowledged the timeline in a public statement following Trump’s comments. The Justice Department maintained that the case involved financial crimes, with officials emphasizing the charges reflected enforcement priorities at the time.
Trump’s remarks followed his earlier pardon of Ross Ulbricht. Ulbricht founded Silk Road, a darknet marketplace that facilitated illegal transactions using Bitcoin. Ulbricht had served two life sentences before Trump granted clemency. Silk Road played a major role in Bitcoin’s early adoption.
Since returning to the office, Trump has issued several high-profile pardons, including Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and the co-founders of BitMEX. After Trump spoke, Rodriguez posted on X, sharing that the main challenge involved is gaining Trump’s attention.
Rodriguez wrote that Trump understood claims of a weaponized Justice Department; a closer review could lead him to grant a pardon. Rodriguez thanked Trump and his supporters, reiterating that he believes the president would act before his prison reporting date.
Also Read: Lawmakers Question Trump’s Pardon of Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao, Founder of Binance
President Donald Trump’s review statements on a pardon request for Samourai Wallet founder Keonne Rodriguez is now making headlines. Given the case involves federal convictions tied to unlicensed money transmitting, it has drawn much attention. As the review follows recent crypto-related pardons, days before Rodriguez’s scheduled date for reporting to prison, only time will tell what comes next.
