William Hill, co-founder of the privacy-focused Samourai Wallet, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The November 19, 2025 ruling marks another major development in the U.S. government’s widening crackdown on crypto privacy tools.
Hill’s punishment was lighter than that of his co-founder, Keonne Rodriguez, who received the maximum five-year sentence earlier this year. Prosecutors noted Hill’s advanced age and a recent autism diagnosis as factors that reduced his term.
The Charges and Plea Deal
Hill and Rodriguez both pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The plea deal led to the dismissal of more serious money-laundering charges, but prosecutors emphasized the scale of illicit activity linked to the platform.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Samourai Wallet facilitated more than $237 million in illegal transactions, including funds tied to darknet markets, hacks, and other criminal operations.
How Prosecutors Framed the Case
Authorities argued that the co-founders knowingly designed and promoted Samourai Wallet’s privacy features, including Whirlpool (a coin-mixing service) and Ricochet (a transaction-obfuscation feature), to appeal to users seeking to hide the origins of illicit funds.
Prosecutors claimed the pair marketed the tools directly to individuals aiming to avoid detection, describing the wallet’s services as an “end-to-end laundering pipeline.”
Part of a Broader U.S. Enforcement Wave
The case forms part of a broader federal campaign targeting crypto privacy infrastructure. It follows the high-profile conviction of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, and arrives amid renewed debate over whether builders of privacy tools should be held criminally responsible for their users’ actions.
Hill’s sentencing underscores how aggressively U.S. authorities are now pursuing developers whose platforms enable anonymous transactions, even when no traditional custody of user funds is involved.
The ruling is expected to influence ongoing cases and future regulatory approaches to on-chain privacy tooling.
