Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet Samourai Wallet, has publicly appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for a federal pardon ahead of reporting to prison to serve a five-year sentence. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one felony count related to operating an unlicensed money transmitter business.
In a social media post, Rodriguez framed his prosecution as political "lawfare" orchestrated by a "weaponized Biden DOJ." He argued that his conduct created no direct victims and that the case represents an "anti-innovation, anti-American attack on the rights and liberties of free people" targeting privacy software itself. Rodriguez also requested clemency for his co-founder, William "Bill" Lonergan Hill, who received a four-year sentence in the same case.
"I maintain hope that [Trump] is a fair man, a man of the people, who will see this prosecution for what it was," Rodriguez stated, expressing belief that Trump would use his pardon power for good in this instance.
The public plea follows comments from President Trump indicating he would "take a look" at the case, though he claimed no prior knowledge of it. It is unclear if a formal pardon application has been filed, with Rodriguez's public messaging serving as a real-time petition.
This appeal draws parallels to previous crypto-related pardons granted by Trump. In January, the president pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was serving a life sentence. He also granted a pardon to former Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, who served four months after a guilty plea related to anti-money laundering controls. Rodriguez's language mirrors White House framing used to defend other clemency actions, such as the commutation for David Gentile, convicted in a $1.6 billion fraud case.
Rodriguez is scheduled to report to prison, with his public narrative aiming to reshape the case as a fight for digital rights and innovation against overreach.
