US Government Denies Bail for TDev But Where Will He Go

Cryptocurrency News Report:
A recent court document regarding Samourai Wallet founders Keonne Rordiguez and William Lonergan Hill (also known as TDev) reveals that the U.S. government has agreed to bail Hill out.
According to the submitted document, Hill, extradited from Portugal, is set to make his first appearance in the Southern District of New York on July 9 or 10, 2024.
The document states that both parties have agreed to Hill’s bail, with his defense team requesting his release to his home in Lisbon, Portugal to await trial. However, the U.S. government opposes this and suggests releasing Hill to his sister’s basement in Brooklyn.
As part of the bail package, Hill’s family has provided a $2 million bond, including $200,000 in cash and a family residence in New York. The defense team has also proposed increasing the bail package to $3 million, which includes adding family real estate in Europe.
The case involving Hill and his co-defendant Keonne Rordiguez has sparked controversy, leading to a public letter written in May by Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis and Oregon Senator Ron Wyden criticizing the prosecution for “unprecedented, illegal changes in legal interpretations.”
Hill’s defense team argues that FinCEN’s guidance had long made it clear that peer-to-peer applications like Samourai Wallet did not qualify as money transmission services. Hill operated the wallet for nine years without any issues, indicating his belief in its legality.
Interestingly, the defense team also points out that Google had offered Samourai Wallet on its app store for nine years before removing it following Hill’s arrest. This raises the question of whether Google could be seen as an unindicted co-conspirator if the U.S. government’s argument holds.
Hill’s defense team describes the U.S. government’s prosecution as “aggressive and far-reaching” and vows to challenge the charges during the trial. The case has garnered significant interest within the cryptocurrency community, with many following the developments under the hashtag #WhereIsTDevD.