White House crypto adviser says seized Samourai Wallet Bitcoin has not been sold and will stay in U.S. reserves

The White House's top digital asset adviser said on Jan. 17 that U.S. prosecutors have not liquidated Bitcoin and other digital assets seized from Samourai Wallet developers, BlockBeats reports. Patrick Witt, executive director of the President's Digital Asset Advisory Board, wrote on social media that the Department of Justice confirmed to him that under Executive Order 14233, seized Samourai Wallet assets have not been and will not be sold, and will instead remain on the government balance sheet as part of a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Earlier this month, Bitcoin Magazine reported, citing court filings and data, that the U.S. Marshals Service had sold more than $6 million in Bitcoin tied to plea agreement payments by Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill that were sent to a Coinbase Prime address, noting that any such sale would conflict with Trump's March order to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve.