Developer of Bitcoin App Samourai Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison
Keonne Rodriguez, developer of the Samourai Wallet, was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitter. He was fined $250,000, and is required to begin serving his sentence on December 19. Rodriguez's app allowed users to obscure Bitcoin transactions by mixing them with others, which facilitated the concealment of coin movements. Authorities shut down the platform last year and arrested both Rodriguez and fellow developer William Lonergan Hill, claiming that the defendants ignored the use of their service by criminals. Hill is scheduled for sentencing on November 19. This case highlights ongoing scrutiny and regulatory actions against cryptocurrency services that are perceived to facilitate illegal activities.
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