Samourai Wallet Co-Founder Bill Hill Sentenced to 4 Years for Unlicensed Money Transmitting
William "Bill" Hill, 67, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business related to a bitcoin mixing tool. Prosecutors stated the mixer was used to launder at least $237 million in criminal proceeds. Hill pleaded guilty in July alongside Keonne Rodriguez. District Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York varied Hill's sentence down from the statutory maximum of 60 months due to mitigating factors, notably Hill's autism diagnosis and advanced age. In addition to prison, Hill received 3 years of supervised release, which he will serve from Lisbon, Portugal, where he lives with his wife. A $250,000 fine was also imposed. The court may credit time already served in Portugal before extradition, potentially reducing the remaining sentence by about 11 weeks. Hill must self-surrender by January 2, 2026, to begin serving his sentence. Keonne Rodriguez, Hill's fellow Samourai Wallet developer, was sentenced to the full statutory maximum of five years in prison for the same crime. The defense argued that Hill's autism led to a misinterpretation of FINCEN guidance regarding the non-requirement for non-custodial wallets to register as money transmitting businesses; however, the judge rejected this defense and affirmed that Hill knew his actions were wrongdoing.
