Countdown to Samourai Wallet Developers' Imprisonment: 3,200 People Petition Trump for Pardon

A storm over the boundaries of code freedom and regulation is brewing in the crypto world.

On December 4, the nonprofit Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) publicly called on Trump to pardon two Samourai Wallet developers—Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill. So far, the petition supporting their pardon has garnered over 3,200 signatures, making quite an impact.

These two developers are in a tough spot. Accused of “conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business,” they are facing 5 and 4 years in prison respectively, and are expected to report to prison in early January 2026.

In a detailed document released on December 2, BPI was blunt: this prosecution is a blatant misuse of federal money transmission laws. Their central argument is that non-custodial tools simply shouldn’t be forced into the BSA (Bank Secrecy Act) money transmission regulatory framework. Going further, BPI warned: If this conviction stands, innovation in privacy-focused Bitcoin tools in the United States may be stifled at birth.

Big names in the Bitcoin community have also stepped up in support. From Bitcoin evangelist Max Keiser, to media figure Marty Bent, to podcaster Walker America, all have publicly voiced support for a pardon. Even the Oregon Libertarian Party has joined the chorus, echoing the classic slogan: “Code is speech.”

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DAOdreamervip
· 12-04 11:07
Seriously? You can go to jail just for writing wallet code? This legal logic is way too ridiculous. Alright, 3,200 signatures still aren’t loud enough, gotta see if Trump wants to pick this up. Non-custodial tools being forcibly included under Money Transmission laws—this is just the authorities not understanding technology. If they really do go to prison, is the crypto community going to have another big uproar... The pardon petition is interesting, but honestly, if the feds want to get serious, they still have ways. Developers taking the fall is truly unjust; how does writing a privacy tool become a crime? No one can make sense of this logic. Five years and four years—these sentences are insane, all just for unlicensed transmission?
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NeverPresentvip
· 12-04 11:04
Code is not a crime. This prosecution is absolutely outrageous... The petition with 3,200 signatures is just the beginning.
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SchroedingersFrontrunvip
· 12-04 11:01
3200 signatures, that's still kind of interesting... but do you guys really think Trump will care about this? I've heard the "code is freedom" argument for so many years, but regulation still comes when it needs to. Open-source wallets have no responsibility? That logic is ridiculous. By the way, if these two guys really go to jail, there will be a bunch of "martyr" articles in the crypto circle again. Wait, non-custodial doesn't count as money transmission? That's quite a legal joke.
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ForkMongervip
· 12-04 10:58
nah this is just peak governance attack vector in action... they're literally trying to criminalize code like it's some kind of financial weapon lol. non-custodial tools aren't transmission services, that's just regulatory overreach dressed up as law enforcement tbh
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