Lauren Rodriguez

Non-custodial code is being treated as a crime - Despite FinCEN guidance stating non-custodial wallets are not money transmitters, the DOJ targeted Samourai founders for unlicensed money transmission and laundering conspiracy.

The prosecution allegedly suppressed exonerating evidence - Prosecutors reportedly buried a FinCEN memo that cleared Samourai of being a money service business, a move the defense characterizes as a significant Brady violation.

The judicial process forced a tactical plea deal - Facing a hostile judge swap and the threat of a 25-year sentence, the founders chose five-year plea deals as a survival tactic rather than risking a trial in a compromised environment.