A group of developers recently made headlines with the announcement of a hard fork of the Samourai Wallet code. Under the new “Ashigaru Open Source Project,” they released the first version of a mobile wallet that builds upon the work of the Samourai team. The Ashigaru project aims to develop, release, and maintain free and open-source software that offers secure and private solutions with low technical barriers to entry. Their ultimate goal is to maximize censorship resistance for users.
The developers behind Ashigaru stated that they extensively used code from the public domain and other cryptocurrency projects. However, little is known about the development team, as they only identified themselves as former users of the Samourai Wallet without any ties to its core development group.
The arrest of Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill, founders of the Samourai Wallet, further adds intrigue to this story. In April 2024, they were arrested on money laundering charges by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ accused them of executing over $2 billion in unlawful transactions and facilitating more than $100 million in money laundering transactions. If convicted, the founders face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business.
As part of the investigation, the FBI seized the Samourai Wallet’s website and servers, while law enforcement officials forced app stores to remove the wallet application. Rodriguez, who pleaded not guilty, was released on a $1 million bail-bond agreement with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. However, he must adhere to certain geographic boundaries until the conclusion of his case.
In light of these events, the development of the Ashigaru mobile wallet presents an alternative for users seeking secure and private solutions in the cryptocurrency space. With its focus on open-source software and censorship resistance, the project aims to provide a viable option for users looking to protect their assets and maintain their privacy.