Overview
- Judge Denise Cote sentenced Hill to 48 months for conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business after his July guilty plea.
- The sentence includes three years of supervised release to be served from Lisbon, a $250,000 fine, and self-surrender by Jan. 2, 2026, with credit recommended for 11 weeks already served abroad.
- Prosecutors say Samourai’s Whirlpool mixer and Ricochet tool processed at least $237 million linked to darknet markets and other crimes, while money-laundering counts were dismissed under the plea deal.
- Co-founder Keonne Rodriguez previously received a five-year prison term for the same conspiracy charge.
- Filings describe promotion to criminal users and an “end-to-end laundering pipeline,” highlighting a broader federal push against privacy-focused crypto tools.