Jailed for Writing Bitcoin Privacy Code: The Samourai Wallet Case - with Keonne Rodriguez

Imagine waking up at 5AM to 40 armed FBI agents, drones overhead, and rifles pointed at your face—all because you wrote privacy-focused Bitcoin software. That’s the story of Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, a Bitcoin privacy tool designed to keep your transactions anonymous in a world hell-bent on surveillance. In this episode of The Rice Report, Eric Rice goes deep with Keonne about: How the DOJ charged him with conspiracy—without a single victim Why the feds ignored regulators who said no laws were broken How a meme tweet became evidence in a federal case What it’s like to be raided like a terrorist for open-source code Why Keonne ultimately took a plea deal after the court denied all motions—without even offering a reason This isn’t just about Bitcoin or privacy tech—it’s about free speech, innovation, and the rising danger of a justice system used as a weapon. 👉 Comment below: Should privacy be a crime in America? 🔔 Subscribe for more hard-hitting truth on tech, money, and freedom. 📝 Sign the pardon petition: https://billandkeonne.org Support the families of Keonne & Bill as they fight back. #FreeKeonne #CodeIsNotACrime #SamouraiWallet #BitcoinPrivacy #justicesystem Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: 5AM Raid on Keonne’s Home 01:15 – Who Is Keonne Rodriguez? 03:10 – The Mission Behind Samourai Wallet 07:25 – CoinJoin vs Mixers: What’s the Difference? 12:40 – The DOJ Charges Explained 18:15 – The Arrest, Interrogation & No Charges Explained 25:00 – A Meme Tweet Used as Evidence?! 31:45 – Public Defender or Private Counsel? 36:30 – Discovery Suppression & Missing Emails 42:00 – Motions Denied Without Explanation 46:50 – Why Keonne Took the Plea Deal 51:30 – Sentencing: $6M Fine, $250K Interest, 5 Years in Prison 58:10 – How to Help: Petition, Donations, Awareness