Trump Signals Possible Pardon For Convicted Samourai Wallet Co-Founder
United States President Donald Trump said he would review the case of Keonne Rodriguez, a co-founder of the Samourai Wallet, and signaled he might consider clemency.
According to reporters present at a White House exchange, Trump said he would “take a look” and asked that the matter be examined by the Attorney General.
The comment came after federal prosecutors secured guilty pleas and later sent Rodriguez to prison.
Statement On A High-Profile Sentencing
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Rodriguez and a co-defendant, William Lonergan Hill, pleaded guilty to charges tied to running an unlicensed money-transmitting business and related conspiracy counts.
Reports have disclosed that the service was linked to more than $230 million in criminal proceeds. Prosecutors said those transfers were connected in their factual recitation to narcotics trafficking, darknet markets, cyber intrusions, frauds, sanctioned jurisdictions and other criminal activity.
Sentencing And Legal Outcomes
Based on court filings and public notices, the guilty pleas were entered in late July 2025 and sentencing took place on November 19, 2025.
The Department of Justice has also pursued forfeiture tied to the amounts it described in court, and fines were assessed at the time of sentence.
These actions were carried out by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, who handled the investigation and prosecution.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, Rodriguez said “This President knows all about lawfare.”
I have always said that the most challenging aspect of getting a pardon for me and Bill would be getting the attention of @realDonaldTrump. He is very busy with many people competing for his attention. Today, thanks to the journalist at Decrypt, the President is aware of our… https://t.co/lmYljfFax9
— Keonne Rodriguez (@keonne) December 15, 2025
Trump Pardon: How A Presidential Review Might Move Forward
The process for clemency typically involves the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the Justice Department, which vets petitions and may seek input from prosecutors and judges.
The president, however, has broad constitutional authority to grant pardons or commutations for federal offenses.
In this case, press accounts say the president asked that the Attorney General examine the matter, which could lead to a formal review of any clemency petition.
Political And Public Reactions
Reports have varied in tone, with some outlets focusing on the scale of the funds prosecutors said were moved — $237 million — and others highlighting the unusual nature of a president publicly saying he would “look into” an active clemency matter shortly after sentencing.
Legal experts note that public comments from a sitting president can speed attention to a case, but they do not guarantee relief.
Opinions among commentators are mixed; some urge careful review while others stress that federal sentences reflect convictions from established court processes.
Featured image from Bloomberg via Getty Images, chart from TradingView
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