The White House has confirmed that none of the Bitcoin from the Samourai Wallet case has been sold, ending recent rumors in the market.
Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, said on X that the 57.55 BTC forfeited by Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and Will Lonergan Hill are still fully intact.
The confusion started after blockchain analysts noticed a transfer of the 57.55 BTC from a government-controlled wallet to a Coinbase Prime address last November.
Many assumed this meant the funds were sold, which would have violated Executive Order 14233 issued by President Trump in March 2025.
This order strictly requires that any government-acquired Bitcoin from criminal or civil forfeiture must be held in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) and not liquidated.
Witt emphasized, “We have received confirmation from the DOJ that the digital assets forfeited by Samourai Wallet have not been liquidated and will not be liquidated. They will remain part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.”
The Samourai Wallet developers were sentenced in November 2025. Rodriguez received five years in prison and Hill received four years. Both were also ordered to forfeit around $6.37 million in proceeds. President Trump later said he is looking into a possible pardon for Rodriguez.
The case shows the U.S. government’s ongoing effort to maintain and grow the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The reserve now holds hundreds of thousands of BTC, making the U.S. one of the largest Bitcoin holders in the world.
There are also plans to acquire up to 1 million BTC over the next five years without affecting taxpayers.
This clarification reassures the crypto market that all forfeited Bitcoin is safe and will continue to be managed under strict government oversight.
