Keonne Rodriguez, one of the co-founders of Samourai, a well-known Bitcoin privacy wallet, was recently arrested in the US - Blocktrainer.de reported. He and another co-founder, William Lonergan Hill, are accused of operating an unlicensed money transfer company that allegedly processed over two billion dollars worth of illegal transactions and laundered over 100 million dollars. The allegations also include supporting criminal activity through the Coinjoin service offered, which provides more financial privacy by anonymizing Bitcoin transactions.
"Not guilty!"
According to Coindesk , Rodriguez has now pleaded not guilty at his court hearing in New York City and was released on bail of one million US dollars. The arrests and charges against him and his colleague have sparked a wave of solidarity in the Bitcoin community, with numerous expressions of support for the two defendants. The case is attracting widespread attention and raises important questions about the privacy and legality of data protection services in the crypto space. The discussion around financial privacy and the legitimacy of mixing services such as Samourai Wallet remains a key issue within the crypto community. While some emphasize the need to protect privacy, others and especially the authorities see such services as a potential tool for illegal activities. The upcoming trial against Rodriguez and Hill is expected to bring further clarity to these complex and controversial issues. In the worst case scenario, the two face a prison sentence of 20 to 25 years. Until the trial begins, 35-year-old Rodriguez will be placed under house arrest. His next hearing is scheduled for May 14.
