TechFlow news — On December 4, according to Cointelegraph, the nonprofit Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) called on President Trump to pardon Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill. The related petition has gathered over 3,200 signatures. The two developers were sentenced to five and four years in prison respectively for conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and are set to begin serving their sentences in early January 2026.
In a detailed document released on December 2, BPI argued that the prosecution represented a misapplication of federal money transmission laws, asserting that non-custodial tools should not fall under the BSA's money transmission framework. The institute warned that upholding the convictions would stifle innovation in privacy-protecting Bitcoin tools within the United States.
Prominent figures in the Bitcoin community, including Bitcoin advocate Max Keiser, media entrepreneur Marty Bent, and podcast host Walker America, have all voiced support for the pardon. The Libertarian Party of Oregon also expressed backing, emphasizing that "code is speech."
