According to Cointelegraph: Samourai Wallet Co-Founder Pleads Not Guilty, Released on a $1M Bond
Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of cryptocurrency mixer Samourai Wallet, has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering brought forward by the United States Justice Department. He has subsequently been released on bail.
Appearing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on April 29, Rodriguez denied charges of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business and money laundering. Assistant U.S. Attorneys agreed to set bail at $1 million, restricting Rodriguez's travel to certain parts of New York and Pennsylvania unless court-approved.
Primarily, Rodriguez is expected to stay confined within his Harmony, Pennsylvania residence and wear a location-monitoring device. As part of the bail terms, he has been barred from performing any services for Samourai Wallet or participating in "any cryptocurrency transactions, directly or indirectly" unless formally sanctified by the court.
Chief Technology Officer of Samourai Wallet, William Hill, was apprehended concomitantly with Rodriguez on April 24. Hill's court appearance in the U.S. is pending, likely due to his arrest being in Portugal and the subsequent extradition proceedings needing completion.
The charges against both individuals carry serious consequences, with potential sentences of up to 20 years for money laundering and five years for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The control of Samourai Wallet’s servers and domain in Iceland has already been seized by authorities.
These arrests form part of a broader U.S. government crackdown against cryptocurrency mixers, accused of facilitating money laundering activities by hacker groups and terrorists. The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control earlier sanctioned Blender and Tornado Cash, attracting criticism from industry leaders and lawmakers.