Mysterious group of developers hard fork Samourai Wallet

• A new project, Ashigaru, has forked from Samourai Wallet to enhance user privacy.
• Ashigaru developers, former Samourai users, emphasize open-source security solutions.
• The original founders of Samourai Wallet face serious legal issues for money laundering.

On September 20, an enigmatic group of developers announced the hard fork of the popular Samourai Wallet, launching a new project called the “Ashigaru Open Source Project.”

Samourai Wallet has been forked. Some brave souls have picked up where Samourai Wallet left off and the fight for privacy lives on.

Excellent work in reigniting this flame in the darkest hour. Running your own Dojo now required.https://t.co/464YMuDoOMhttps://t.co/0QMBUCKVRy

— burn the bridge (@econoalchemist) September 22, 2024

The developers’ move aims to bolster user privacy and security in cryptocurrency transactions, utilizing CoinJoin and other mechanisms to shield users from analytical heuristics and tracking.

Samourai Wallet hard forked into Ashigaru

According to the new project’s website, Ashigaru is committed to developing, releasing, and maintaining free and open-source software that prioritizes security and privacy.

The developers of Ashigaru emphasize their goal of providing solutions with a low technical barrier to entry, ensuring that users can engage in peaceful, voluntary, and private commerce on the internet without facing tracking, surveillance, or censorship.

The developers, who identify as former users of Samourai Wallet, have clarified that they have no connections to the original Samourai Wallet development team. This separation has fueled curiosity about the motivations and identities of the new developers.

The team has indicated that they extensively use code from the public domain and other cryptocurrency projects, further enhancing their commitment to open-source principles.

Original Samourai Wallet founders are facing legal problems

The backdrop of this development is marked by significant legal troubles for Samourai Wallet’s founders, Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill.

In April 2024, both were arrested on money laundering charges in a case initiated by the United States Department of Justice. Keonne Rodriguez, however, entered a plea of not guilty and was released on a $1 million bounty.

Authorities allege that the duo facilitated over $2 billion in unlawful transactions and more than $100 million in money laundering activities. Following the arrests, the FBI seized Samourai Wallet’s website and servers, leading to its removal from app stores.

As the Ashigaru Open Source Project begins its journey, it seeks to reclaim the ethos of privacy-focused digital transactions that Samourai Wallet once represented.

With an emphasis on user empowerment and censorship resistance, Ashigaru could potentially redefine how individuals navigate the complex world of cryptocurrency. As the project unfolds, the crypto community will be closely watching its developments and impacts.