Today, the first public hearing took place at the US Department of Justice (DoJ). case against Samourai Wallet developers William Lonergan Hill and Keonne Rodriguez since May 28, 2024, when Rodriguez appeared before the judge for the first hearing in the case.
I attended the hearing for William Lonergan Hill (TDevD/@SamouraiDev) in the Southern District of New York on behalf of @BitcoinMagazine Today.
This is what I learned: #FreeSamurai #WhereIsDevD #SamuraiWallet photo.twitter.com/VtZdQd4IJu
— Frank Corva (@frankcorva) July 10, 2024
Hill appeared in court after his uncontested extradition from Lisbon, Portugal, where he currently lives.
The Public Prosecution Service had most of the say during the hearing.
The following information was shared:
- Hill was arraigned the day before, on July 9, 2024
- 27 electronic devices seized from Hill in Portugal
- It will lead Hill to discoveries once the FBI extracts and reviews the information on said devices
- It has already led to discoveries about Rodriguez, Hill’s former partner at Samourai and co-defendant in the case
- Hill will be released on bail, although no dollar amount for bail was mentioned
The main point made by the defense, consisting of attorneys Roger Burlingame and Jeffrey Brown, during the hearing was that Hill had waived his right to extradition before he was indicted on the extradition charges.
Key Terms of Hill’s Bail
The first key condition of Hill’s bail is that he be allowed to live in Lisbon, Portugal while the case proceeds. Burlingame requested this in a letter He filed his request with the court on July 3, 2024. Hill will have to return to New York when he appears in court.
A second key provision of Hill’s bail is that he must wear an ankle monitor while he is on bail in Portugal. The prosecution noted that the FBI would monitor the ankle monitor in a conversation between the prosecution and the defense after the formal hearing ended.
The next hearing
The case will continue on September 10, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. ET, originally scheduled for September 4, 2024.
The Public Prosecution Service has indicated that it plans to submit the evidence before the next hearing.