After the fall of Samourai Wallet’s founders, a new platform emerged from a mysterious group who forked the project, naming it the Ashigaru Open Source Project. The team behind Ashigaru has shared their vision, stating, “Anyone should be able to engage in peaceful, voluntary and private commerce on the internet without tracking, surveillance or censorship.”…
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The Bitcoin Policy Institute, a non-profit organization supporting bitcoin initiatives, has launched the Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund, a project seeking to protect bitcoin’s decentralized nature from regulatory overreach. The fund’s first objective is to aid in the defense of the founders of Samourai Wallet given the relevance of the case for the industry. Peer-to-Peer Rights Funds…
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On Thursday, Zksnacks, the developer behind Wasabi Wallet, announced its decision to cease its coinjoin services following regulatory measures in the U.S. The company stated that the wallet will now operate as a standard non-custodial bitcoin wallet without the coinjoin feature. Zksnacks Withdraws Coinjoin Feature from Wasabi Wallet Following intensified regulatory scrutiny in the U.S.,…
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The recent actions by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against non-custodial crypto wallet developers have sparked controversy and concern within the cryptocurrency community. According to Coin Center, these charges mark a significant shift from previous U.S. policies regarding money transmission, potentially impacting the liberty and privacy rights of developers and users alike. Coin Center: DOJ…
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Keonne Rodriguez, one of the individuals associated with the popular cryptocurrency mixer Samourai Wallet, has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of money laundering. The United States Justice Department had charged Rodriguez and his co-founder, William Hill, with various offenses related to their involvement with Samourai Wallet. On April 29, Rodriguez appeared before the U.S. District Court for the…
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On Monday, April 29, Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of the non-custodial bitcoin wallet Samourai, entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of operating a money transmitter and engaging in money laundering. Rodriguez secured his release by posting a $1 million bail and will be confined to his residence in Harmony, Pennsylvania, with his movements monitored…
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning about using unregistered cryptocurrency money transmitting services that fail to comply with U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The agency has provided tips for the public to protect themselves, advising them to avoid providers that do not require Know Your Customer (KYC) information. FBI’s Crypto Warning The…
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After the Samourai Wallet indictment, the cryptocurrency community discovered that the Bitcoin blockchain analysis platform OXT is no longer operational, as it was acquired by the Samourai team in December 2017. On April 25, Laurentmt, a co-founder of OXT and bitcoin advocate, revealed the closure on the social media site X with the statement, “RIP…
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In a decisive move, Zksnacks announced on Saturday that it will block all U.S. residents and citizens from accessing its bitcoin mixer, Wasabi Wallet. This policy change comes as U.S. authorities intensify their crackdown on unregulated crypto activities, spotlighting the recent indictment of Samourai Wallet founders. Wasabi Wallet Withdraws from U.S. Market to Avoid Regulatory…
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In a notable development, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has countered a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against Roman Semenov, a developer of the cryptocurrency mixing service Tornado Cash, highlighting the alleged strength of its case in a recent court submission. Prosecutors Assert Strong Evidence Is Coming in Tornado Cash Laundering Case The…
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