Samourai Wallet, feds ask for time to mull dropping crypto mixer case
US federal prosecutors and Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill requested a 16-day extension for pretrial motions following a rollback of crypto enforcement by the Justice Department. The request was made after a memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated a shift in the DOJ's approach, stating it would not act as a digital assets regulator. Rodriguez and Hill face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, to which they pleaded not guilty. Current deadlines for motions are set for May 13, with proposed new dates of May 29 for motions, June 26 for responses, and July 10 for replies. The trial remains scheduled for early November. This case reflects a broader trend of quashing crypto-related litigation under the previous administration's favorable stance toward the industry.
