According to Odaily, the first hearing for the case against Samourai Wallet founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill was held in the Southern District of New York on May 28. The two were arrested in late April and are accused of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transfer business. However, only Rodriguez and his lawyer appeared in court, while Hill remains in Portugal and has yet to respond to the U.S. government's extradition request.
The prosecution stated that it has gathered substantial evidence and is still waiting for Rodriguez to hand over his 2 TB hard drive. Meanwhile, Rodriguez's lawyer cited a letter from two senators to the U.S. Attorney General, arguing that non-custodial crypto software cannot be considered a money transfer service. The judge announced that Rodriguez will continue to be under house arrest, and the next hearing for the case will be held at 11:30 AM Eastern Time on September 4, 2024.