The Department of Justice has addressed the whereabouts of USD$6.37 million in Bitcoin tied to Samourai Wallet’s founders after days of speculation.
The Friday update followed questions about whether the seized cryptocurrency had already been sold by the government. Under those plea agreements, they surrendered about 57.55 Bitcoin, worth roughly USD$6.37 million at the time.
The Bitcoin came from forfeitures linked to Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill after their guilty pleas. In August 2025, both men admitted in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Prosecutors said the defendants ran a crypto mixing service designed to obscure transaction histories.
Additionally, authorities alleged the service processed more than USD$200 million tied to illegal activity.
Those funds allegedly included proceeds connected to darknet markets, cybercrime operations, and fraud schemes. Court filings show the forfeiture occurred under 18 U.S. Code 982, which governs criminal forfeiture rules. The statute applies to money laundering and unlicensed money transmission offenses.
However, questions emerged after reports suggested the Bitcoin may have been moved or liquidated. Bitcoin Magazine cited court records and blockchain tracking that appeared to show transfers. Those reports conflicted with a White House directive requiring forfeited Bitcoin to remain government-held.
Meanwhile, the United States Marshals Service rejected claims that any sale occurred. In a statement to DL News, the agency said it had not sold the Bitcoin referenced in reports. The Marshals Service also said it did not know how outside parties obtained contrary information. Furthermore, officials noted that crypto disposals require several internal approvals.
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Government retains seized Bitcoin as part of its reserve
The agent said that it can only sell assets that qualify under a specific executive order. Consequently, officials maintained that the Samourai Wallet Bitcoin did not meet that standard.
In addition, Patrick Wit, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, shared a government update. On Jan. 16, Wit said the Justice Department confirmed the Bitcoin remains intact.
Officials verified the assets were neither liquidated nor scheduled for liquidation. Subsequently, Wit said the government intends to retain the Bitcoin as part of its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Also, the statement clarified that the reserve policy favors holding Bitcoin on the federal balance sheet. The policy reflects a shift away from routine liquidation of seized digital assets. Conversely, earlier forfeiture cases often resulted in rapid government sales.
The Justice Department’s confirmation comes as scrutiny around federal crypto handling continues to intensify. The United States government has seized Bitcoin multiple times over the past two years through criminal and civil forfeiture cases. In 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized more than 94,000 Bitcoin tied to the Bitfinex hack investigation.
The DOJ linked those assets to laundering activity connected to stolen exchange funds. Additionally, federal prosecutors confiscated Bitcoin from darknet market operators, including cases tied to drug trafficking.
In one instance, authorities seized crypto from wallets associated with fentanyl distribution networks. Meanwhile, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division took custody of Bitcoin in tax evasion cases. However, most seized Bitcoin historically entered liquidation pipelines.
Consequently, proceeds often flowed into the Treasury’s general asset forfeiture fund. More recently, policy shifts signaled greater interest in long-term government Bitcoin retention.
