The Indictment: What the Samourai Case Means for Bitcoin Privacy

On April 24, 2024, the founders of Samourai Wallet were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The indictment sent shockwaves through the open-source and Bitcoin privacy communities.

At its core, the case asks a question with far-reaching consequences: Can developers be held criminally liable for writing privacy-preserving software that others later use in ways the government dislikes?

What Samourai Wallet Actually Did

Samourai Wallet was a non-custodial Bitcoin wallet. It gave users tools to protect their financial privacy, including Whirlpool coinjoin and Ricochet. The developers did not take custody of user funds, did not operate as a financial intermediary, and published their code openly.

Why This Case Matters

If writing and distributing privacy software becomes a money-transmitting or money-laundering offense, the legal precedent would endanger every privacy tool in the cryptocurrency ecosystem — and beyond.

This platform exists to document the case, explain the technology, and advocate for the principle that code is speech and privacy is not a crime.