On September 20th, a group of developers revealed that they had successfully performed a hard fork of the code for the Samourai Wallet. They released the initial version of a mobile wallet as part of the new “Ashigaru Open Source Project.” Ashigaru’s main objective, as stated on their website, is to develop, release, and maintain free and open-source software. They aim to create solutions that are easily accessible to users while prioritizing security, privacy, and resistance to censorship.
The developers behind Ashigaru mentioned that they extensively utilized code from the public domain and other cryptocurrency projects. They clarified that they were former users of the Samourai Wallet but had no affiliation with the core development group.
In a related incident, the founders of the Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill, were arrested in April 2024 on charges of money laundering. The United States Department of Justice accused them of executing over $2 billion in illegal transactions and facilitating more than $100 million in money laundering activities. If convicted, they could face a maximum prison sentence of five years for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business.
During the investigation, the FBI seized the Samourai Wallet’s website and servers, while law enforcement authorities compelled app stores to remove the wallet application. Rodriguez pleaded not guilty and was released on a $1 million bail bond agreement with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. However, he is required to stay within specific geographic boundaries until his case is concluded.
In the race to develop secure and legal coin mixers, Tornado Cash 2.0 has emerged as a prominent contender.