Samourai Wallet Co-Founder Bill Hill Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

William “Bill” Hill, 67, co-founder of the Bitcoin privacy tool Samourai Wallet, has been sentenced to four years in prison for conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Prosecutors say the mixer was used to launder more than $237 million in illicit funds. The sentence was handed down by District Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York, who previously gave Hill’s partner, Keonne Rodriguez, the maximum five-year term for the same charge. Both men pleaded guilty in July.

Judge Cote noted she would have imposed a full 60-month sentence if not for mitigating factors, including Hill’s age and a recent autism diagnosis. She acknowledged that prison would be significantly harder for Hill compared to most inmates, though she rejected arguments that he lacked moral understanding of his actions. According to Cote, Hill “knew the difference between right and wrong,” despite his lawyer’s claims that autism shaped his rigid thinking and idealistic views about Bitcoin and government overreach.

Hill’s attorney, Roger Burlingame, argued that Hill genuinely believed Samourai Wallet operated legally because FinCEN does not require non-custodial wallets to register as money transmitters. Burlingame described Hill’s mindset as a “magical-thinking, autistic view,” saying Bitcoin’s mix of idealism and clear rules appealed strongly to him. He also emphasized that Hill’s three months in a Portuguese prison prior to extradition were already a severe punishment, noting that the social pressures of incarceration were “torture” for him.

Hill became emotional in court, expressing remorse and acknowledging the harm the case brought to his family. He admitted he had confused personal idealism with moral justification, saying he now fully accepts responsibility.

Along with the 48-month sentence, Hill will serve three years of supervised release—allowed to be completed in Lisbon—and must pay a $250,000 fine. Judge Cote will recommend credit for the 11 weeks Hill spent jailed in Portugal. He must report to begin his sentence by January 2, 2026.