Bitcoin Developers’ Pardon Request Creates Awkward Situation for Trump

The two developers behind the privacy-focused Bitcoin app Samourai Wallet have now been sentenced to multiple years behind bars. Keonne Rodriguez was sentenced a couple of weeks ago, while William Lonergan Hill was sentenced on Wednesday. These prison sentences have been heavily criticized by Bitcoin users and financial privacy advocates, as Samourai Wallet was non-custodial Bitcoin wallet software that was intended to improve privacy in transactions.

That said, there were some elements of centralized servicing in Samourai Wallet’s structure, as the developers ran servers and collected fees for some of the features in the wallet app. Additionally, Samourai Wallet embraced the use of their apps and services by criminals and sanctioned entities on social media.

So yes, it is a false comparison because the owners and operators of a VPN business cannot “conspire” by operating the business to violate a law that does not apply to VPN businesses.

— James Farrell (@Farrell1969) November 20, 2025

The Samourai Wallet developers’ multi-year sentences are related to the use of their software and services for the purposes of money laundering, which is in the same ballpark as the charges to which the former CEO of crypto exchange Binance, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, previously pled guilty in 2023. CZ was sent to prison for his role in not implementing sufficient anti-money laundering standards at the exchange before he eventually received a pardon from Trump.

However, reporting from earlier this year indicated a business connection between CZ and Trump-affiliated crypto business interests. The optics of the pardon have caused many, including a former pardon chief at the U.S. Department of Justice, to claim that this is an obvious case of corruption and a clear quid pro quo deal.

Now, there is a Change.org petition asking President Trump to pardon the pair of Samourai Wallet developers. However, there is no indication that these Bitcoin wallet developers have any business relationship with Trump, his family, or anyone else affiliated with him. In other words, a lack of a pardon for these developers has the potential to make the optics around the CZ pardon even worse.

It would mean a lot if you would sign this petition calling on @realDonaldTrump to pardon me and Bill

In 30 days we will report to prison. Unless the President steps in.

Developers shouldn’t be liable for the actions of bad actors using their software#freesamourai…

— Keonne Rodriguez (@keonne) November 19, 2025

While there were points of centralization to the structure of Samourai Wallet’s software, Binance operated as an entirely centralized, custodial exchange with far more control over user funds. While legal liability related to the services provided by Samourai Wallet can be debated, it does not appear that they were doing anything materially worse than CZ, who Trump described as being a victim of a “Biden witch hunt,” according to people around him.

That said, one area of difference that could be brought up in the two cases was that Samourai Wallet was specifically intended to increase user privacy, while Binance’s focus was on operating as an exchange. Then again, the argument could be made that Binance’s entire business model was effectively built around relaxed standards when it came to tracking the financial activities of their users.

The Samourai Wallet developers have also been handed much longer sentences than CZ. Rodriguez received five years, Hill received four years, and CZ received four months.

While Trump’s second term as president has mostly involved crypto profiteering and stablecoin promotion up to this point, there is still an opportunity to implement more protections for Bitcoin developers and node operators via the Clarity Act, which has passed the House and is now under debate in the Senate. The bill includes such protections in its current form, but it has yet to be finalized.

Back in DC pushing for market structure legislation. There’s been lots of great progress since I was last here which is great to see. Hoping for a mark up of the CLARITY bill in December, and for it to be on @POTUS‘s desk soon after.

This bill will get crypto further unlocked in… pic.twitter.com/BW7TUJZL80

— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) November 18, 2025

It should be noted that Trump also previously pardoned the convicted operator of the darknet market Silk Road as part of his political embrace of Bitcoin users, so there may still be some hope for the Samourai Wallet developers.