A White Home advisor mentioned the US Division of Justice has not offered any bitcoin forfeited within the Samourai Pockets case, pushing again on rumors that the federal government had liquidated seized cash.
Affirmation from the White Home
Patrick Witt, government director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Belongings, wrote on X that DOJ confirmed the forfeited property weren’t offered and wouldn’t be offered.
Witt mentioned the bitcoin would stay a part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve:
“We have now acquired affirmation from DOJ that the digital property forfeited by Samourai Pockets haven’t been liquidated and won’t be liquidated.”
Rumors adopted a 57.5 BTC switch
The difficulty surfaced in November after analysts flagged a 57.5 BTC switch from a US government-controlled tackle to a Coinbase Prime deposit tackle.
Critics alleged the transfer violated Government Order 14233, signed by President Donald Trump in March, which mandates that any bitcoin obtained by prison or civil forfeiture “shall not be offered” and should be held within the reserve.
US holdings and the reserve plan
The US authorities holds 328,372 BTC, price about $31.3 billion at present costs, in keeping with BitcoinTreasuries.internet.
That determine consists of 127,271 BTC forfeited in October from a Cambodia-based firm accused of operating a “pig butchering” funding scheme.
Witt mentioned in a latest interview that constructing out the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve stays a precedence, however depends upon Treasury and Commerce aligning on authorized necessities.
Individually, Sen. Cynthia Lummis’ Bitcoin reserve invoice proposes accumulating 1 million BTC over 5 years.
The administration has mentioned any accumulation could be carried out in budget-neutral methods.