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Did the US DOJ Sell $6 Million in Bitcoin Seized From Samourai Wallet Founders?

On January 5, a number of crypto publications reported that the US Department of Justice (DOJ), by means of the US Marshals Service (USMS), offered roughly 57.55 BTC forfeited by Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill. 

The unique information argued that such a sale might violate President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14233. The order directs federal businesses to retain forfeited Bitcoin as part of the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

However, a overview of publicly accessible on-chain information exhibits that whereas the Bitcoin was transferred into Coinbase Prime custody, the blockchain doesn’t set up that the Bitcoin was offered.

Understanding the On-Chain Data

On November 3, 2025, roughly 57.553 BTC was transferred from a bech32 handle related to the Samourai forfeiture to a pockets labeled Coinbase Prime Deposit (3Lz5U).

Inbound switch of 57.553 BTC from a Samourai-linked handle to a Coinbase Prime deposit pockets on November 3, 2025. Source: Arkham.

Shortly afterward, the funds have been swept from the 3Lz5U handle into one other pockets labeled Coinbase Prime Deposit (1AaFQ). 

Such sweeps are commonplace operational habits inside Coinbase Prime and don’t, on their very own, point out a sale.

The 57.553 BTC was swept internally from one Coinbase Prime deposit handle to a different, a regular custody operation inside Coinbase Prime infrastructure. Source: Arkham

Further on-chain evaluation exhibits that the Bitcoin was consolidated into the broader Coinbase Prime cluster, which incorporates hundreds of addresses used for custody, settlement, and inner accounting.

At no level does the blockchain present the Bitcoin leaving Coinbase-controlled infrastructure.

Cluster view of Coinbase Prime wallets on Arkham, displaying the funds consolidated inside Coinbase-controlled custody reasonably than transferred to an exterior entity. Source: Arkham

No On-Chain Evidence of a Bitcoin Sale from the DOJ

The blockchain does not present proof that the Bitcoin was liquidated. There is not any on-chain indication that the funds:

  • Moved to a non-Coinbase entity,
  • Fragmented into a number of outputs typical of commerce execution,
  • Flowed into recognized trade settlement wallets, or
  • Were distributed in a sample in keeping with a accomplished sale.

A zero steadiness at the unique Coinbase Prime deposit handle doesn’t indicate liquidation. It solely signifies that the handle was swept, which is commonplace apply for custodial platforms.

Bitcoin-to-USD conversion on Coinbase Prime happens off-chain. 

As a end result, the blockchain can not present whether or not a sale occurred, whether or not proceeds have been credited to the USMS, or whether or not the Bitcoin was retained in custody.

Did the DOJ Violate Trump’s Executive Order on the Bitcoin Reserve?

Executive Order 14233 restricts the sale of “Government BTC” held in the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. 

Whether the Samourai forfeited Bitcoin was ever formally transferred into Reserve-designated Treasury accounts will not be one thing that may be decided from blockchain information alone.

Confirming a violation of the order would require:

  • Court-issued forfeiture or disposition orders,
  • USMS asset administration information, or
  • Coinbase Prime execution and settlement documentation.

None of those information are seen on-chain.

The forfeited Samourai Wallet Bitcoin was transferred into Coinbase Prime custody and consolidated inside Coinbase-controlled infrastructure. 

Overall, the blockchain doesn’t verify that the Bitcoin was offered.

This doesn’t rule out the risk of liquidation. It signifies that, with out off-chain documentation or courtroom authorization information, claims of a confirmed sale transcend what on-chain information can help.

For now, the query of whether or not the DOJ complied with Executive Order 14233 stays a matter of documentation and governance. 

The publish Did the US DOJ Sell $6 Million in Bitcoin Seized From Samourai Wallet Founders? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

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