Trump To ‘look Into’ Recently Convicted Samurai Wallet Co-founder
Trump has already pardoned two crypto heavyweights, Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao in October and Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht in January.
US President Donald Trump says he will review the case of convicted Samourai Wallet developer Keonne Rodriguez, hinting he will explore the possibility of a pardon.
Samourai Wallet co-founders Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill were sentenced on Nov. 19 to five and four years in prison on charges stemming from their involvement in the crypto mixing protocol.
“I’ve heard about it, I’ll look at it,” Trump said when asked about the case at a press conference about the Mexican border at the White House on Monday.
“Okay, let’s take a look at it. You know, you’ll have to tell me. I don’t know anything about it, but we’ll take a look,” he added.
Rodriguez, who is due to start his time behind bars this week, said in an X post on Monday that the “continued noise” from supporters is working. “Thank you to everyone pushing Donald Trump to pardon Bill and me. Let’s get this over the line.”
In an interview with Bitcoin educator Natalie Brunell on Friday, Rodriguez said he thought there was a chance of receiving a pardon if the case were presented to Trump and the top officials in the administration.
I appreciate @keonne taking some tough questions on the Samourai Wallet case. No topic was off limits.Keonne is getting ready to report to prison on December 19th but there is an active movement to #PardonSamourai, and Keonne hopes President Trump hears his story.If you care… pic.twitter.com/iXg3BXr8iq
“Because President Trump has been touched by a DOJ that was weaponized against him, I think when he sees the facts laid out on the table, he will know exactly what’s going on,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also said it’s his understanding he waived his right to appeal the sentence when he took the plea deal, adding that he’s not “100% on that, but my understanding is appeal is pretty unlikely.”
Source: CoinTelegraph
