Forfeited Bitcoin Linked To Samourai Case Not Sold, Confirms White House Crypto Advisor

Forfeited Bitcoin Linked To Samourai Case Not Sold, Confirms White House Crypto Advisor

Source: NewsBTC

Published:2026-01-16 21:36

BTC Price:$95385

#BTC #HODL #Crypto

Analysis

Price Impact

Med

The confirmation that the us government will not sell the 57.55 forfeited bitcoin removes potential sell pressure from the market, preventing a supply increase that could depress prices.

Trustworthiness

High

Based on strict editorial policy, content created by industry experts, meticulously reviewed, and adhering to the highest standards in reporting and publishing.

Price Direction

Bullish

The removal of a significant potential sell-off event (57.55 btc, approximately $6.4 million) by the us government is a positive signal, reducing supply-side risk and offering a slight bullish sentiment by preventing market saturation.

Time Effect

Long

The decision to retain these assets in the strategic bitcoin reserve, rather than liquidate them, indicates a longer-term policy approach by the government, removing this supply from the market indefinitely and setting a precedent.

Original Article:

Article Content:

Reason to trust Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality Created by industry experts and meticulously reviewed The highest standards in reporting and publishing How Our News is Made Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality Ad discliamer Morbi pretium leo et nisl aliquam mollis. Quisque arcu lorem, ultricies quis pellentesque nec, ullamcorper eu odio. Recent allegations regarding the Bitcoin (BTC) sale by the US Marshal Service (USMS) — operating under the Department of Justice (DOJ) — have been addressed by White House crypto advisor Patrick Witt, who confirmed that the digital assets forfeited by Samourai Wallet and its founders have not been liquidated. DOJ Confirms Samourai Bitcoin Will Not Be Sold In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Witt clarified that the DOJ has verified that the digital assets taken from the Samourai Wallet will not be sold, in accordance with Executive Order 14233. He emphasized that these assets will remain on the government’s balance sheet as part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Related Reading Bitcoin And Crypto ETFs Set To Attract $130 Billion-Plus Inflows This Year, JPMorgan Predicts 15 hours ago Earlier in the month, speculations suggested that the USMS, following directives from the DOJ, had sold approximately 57.55 Bitcoin forfeited in the Samourai Wallet case through Coinbase Prime on November 3, 2025. The lack of confirmation until now had led experts to assert that such actions would violate EO 14233, signed by President Donald Trump. This order mandates that Bitcoin obtained through criminal or civil forfeiture be retained and added to the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, rather than being sold off. The Bitcoin in question is valued at almost $6.4 million and was seized from the creators of Samourai Wallet. According to US authorities, the cryptocurrency mixer facilitated over $237 million worth of illicit transactions. Samourai Wallet’s Co-Founders Face Justice The DOJ had announced in November the sentencing of Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, the co-founders of Samourai Wallet. Rodriguez, the company’s CEO, and Hill, its Chief Technology Officer, were implicated in a conspiracy involving the operation of a money transmitting business that “knowingly” transmitted proceeds from criminal activities. Related Reading XRP Will Skyrocket Beyond $18: Analyst Suggests 800% Growth Potential In 2026 1 day ago The criminal proceeds laundered through their platform originated from various illegal activities, including drug trafficking, darknet marketplace operations, cyber intrusions, fraud, murder-for-hire schemes, and even a child pornography website. Rodriguez received a five-year prison sentence, while Hill was sentenced to four years. The 1-D chart shows BTC’s attempt to consolidate near the key $100,000 milestone. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $95,300, marking an almost 6% increase over the past seven days. However, it is still unable to regain the key $100,000 level, which has eluded the cryptocurrency since November last year. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com