The Bitcoin Policy Institute calls for clemency for Samourai Wallet developers, with over 3,200 signatures on the petition.

2025-12-04 10:09:32

According to TechFlow, on December 4, Cointelegraph reported that the nonprofit Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) has called on President Trump to pardon Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, with over 3,200 signatures on the related petition so far. The two developers were sentenced to 5 and 4 years in prison, respectively, for conspiracy to operate an “unlicensed money transmitting business,” and are scheduled to begin serving their sentences in early January 2026.

In a detailed document released on December 2, BPI argued that this prosecution represents a misapplication of federal money transmission laws and that non-custodial tools should not be subject to the BSA money transmission framework. The institute warned that upholding these convictions would stifle innovation in privacy-protecting Bitcoin tools in the United States.

Notable members of the Bitcoin community, including Bitcoin advocate Max Keiser, media entrepreneur Marty Bent, and podcast host Walker America, have expressed support for the pardon. The Libertarian Party of Oregon has also voiced support, emphasizing that “code is speech.”

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