Samourai Wallet Developer Appeals for Help With $2 Million Legal Debt
“We are entirely out of options. We need to pay off these legal bills and other debts accrued attempting to defend myself. We desperately need your help. Now.” The case against Rodriguez and Hill, along with Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, has been closely followed by crypto advocates, many of whom argue they shouldnt be held responsible for the actions of third parties using their software. They also argue that their convictions risk criminalizing open-source privacy tools and restricting privacy rights. Costs racked up over long legal battle Rodriguez and Hill were first charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business in April 2024. They initially pleaded not guilty, but in July 2025, they agreed to plead guilty to one charge of operating an illegal money transmitter. Rodriguez said in an interview with journalist and Bitcoin educator Natalie Brunell last December that he pleaded guilty after crunching the numbers and finding that a conviction would mean significantly more jail time and millions more in legal fees. Online legal marketplace Lawful estimates a criminal defense lawyer can cost on average $200 to $500 per hour, with retainer fees exceeding $10,000. Rates increase based on the type of case,