Reports have emerged alleging that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), acting under the Department of Justice (DOJ), has sold approximately 57.55 Bitcoin (BTC) forfeited by Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill. The Bitcoin, valued at around $6.3 million at the time of forfeiture, was transferred to a Coinbase Prime custody wallet on November 3, 2025, according to documents and on-chain data.
The controversy centers on potential non-compliance with Executive Order 14233, signed by President Donald Trump, which mandates that Bitcoin acquired through criminal forfeiture—termed "Government BTC"—must not be sold. Instead, such assets are to be allocated to the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The order specifies that agency heads cannot sell or otherwise dispose of these digital assets except under specific conditions, none of which are believed to apply in this case.
However, a detailed review of blockchain data presents a more nuanced picture. Analysis from platforms like Arkham shows the 57.553 BTC was transferred from a Samourai-linked address to a Coinbase Prime deposit wallet. The funds were subsequently swept internally to another Coinbase Prime address, a standard custodial operation. Crucially, the blockchain provides no definitive evidence of a sale; the Bitcoin remains within Coinbase-controlled infrastructure, with no on-chain movement to external entities or patterns typical of trade execution.
This discrepancy highlights the challenge of tracking government asset management solely through public ledgers. Confirming a violation of the executive order would require access to off-chain documentation, such as court forfeiture orders, USMS asset records, or Coinbase Prime settlement details. For now, the question of compliance remains unresolved, sparking significant debate over the government's protocol for managing seized digital assets.
