Ashigaru: A New Open Source Project Forked from Samourai Wallet

On September 20, a group of developers announced the forking of Samourai Wallet, unveiling a mobile wallet built upon the original software under the name “Ashigaru Open Source Project.”

The official website of Ashigaru emphasizes its commitment to developing free and open-source software. The project aims to create user-friendly solutions while ensuring security, privacy, and resistance to censorship.

The developers of Ashigaru highlighted their extensive use of code from the public domain and other cryptocurrency projects. They shared their vision through a mission statement that asserts:

“We believe anyone should be able to engage in peaceful, voluntary, and private commerce on the internet without tracking, surveillance, or censorship.”

Details about the development team remain scarce. They identify themselves as former users of Samourai Wallet but clarify that they do not have connections to the original Samourai development team.

Background: Arrest of Samourai Wallet Founders

In April 2024, the founders of Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill, were arrested on allegations of money laundering by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ claims that the pair engaged in over $2 billion in illegal transactions, facilitating more than $100 million in money laundering activities. If convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, they could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

During the investigation, the FBI seized the Samourai Wallet website and its servers, and app stores were compelled to remove the Samourai Wallet app from their platforms.

Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently released on a $1 million bail bond, with restrictions on his geographic movements until the conclusion of his trial.