TechFlow News, March 24: According to CryptoSlate, the official domain of the Bitcoin privacy wallet Samourai Wallet was seized by the FBI and subsequently taken over by scammers, who have repurposed it as a phishing site to lure users into downloading malware designed to steal cryptocurrency assets.
In August 2025, the FBI seized the domain, and the webpage briefly displayed the message “This website has been seized.” However, a screenshot from March 22, 2026 shows the domain has gone live again, fully replicating Samourai Wallet’s brand visuals and page content. The domain registrar is NameCheap, and its current owner remains anonymous due to privacy protection services, making attribution impossible. X user @econoalchemist first disclosed the incident and warned: “Scammers now control this domain—do not download any software.” Multiple users have tagged NameCheap on X requesting intervention, but no response has been received to date.
Background: Samourai Wallet officially launched in 2015 as a Bitcoin wallet focused on privacy protection, offering features including CoinJoin mixing, Whirlpool, Ricochet, and PayNym. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed charges against the wallet for money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, alleging involvement in over $2 billion in illicit transfers. In November 2025, co-founder William Lonergan Hill was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, and Keonne Rodriguez received a five-year sentence.
