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1h ago

DOJ Says Samourai Forfeited Bitcoin Was Not Sold, Will Stay in Strategic Reserve

The clarification follows on-chain reports of a transfer to Coinbase Prime that raised compliance questions under Executive Order 14233.

U.S. government confirms it did not sell Bitcoin seized from Samourai Wallet
DOJ denies selling seized Bitcoin from Samourai Wallet case

Overview

  • White House adviser Patrick Witt said the Justice Department confirmed the coins were not liquidated and will remain on the U.S. balance sheet as part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
  • Executive Order 14233, signed in March 2025, bars the sale of forfeited bitcoin and requires those holdings to be retained in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
  • Approximately 57.55 BTC—about $6.3 million—moved from a Samourai-linked address to Coinbase Prime in November 2025, prompting reports of a possible sale that the DOJ has now refuted.
  • The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is managed by the Treasury and marks a shift from prior practice of auctioning seized cryptocurrency.
  • The forfeited assets stem from the case against Samourai developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, a prosecution that has fueled debate over actions targeting noncustodial software.