U.S. Targets Samourai Wallet Founders with Five-Year Sentence for Crypto Laundering

The U.S. government targets Samourai Wallet founders with a five-year sentence for facilitating money laundering, claiming they enabled the illegal drug trade and compromised financial privacy.

• Prosecutors from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York allege that the founders of Samourai Wallet laundered at least $237 million through their crypto mixing service.
• The government argues that the Samourai Wallet founders marketed their platform as a tool for criminals, tapping into a conspiracy theory that positions crypto mixers as essential for the illegal drug trade.
• By facilitating money laundering, the founders are accused of undermining financial security, drawing attention from regulators concerned about the role of privacy-focused crypto services.