A White House cryptocurrency advisor has confirmed that Bitcoin seized from the Samourai case remains unsold, addressing circulating rumors. According to Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the White House President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has assured that the forfeited digital assets retain their position in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR).
This information was disclosed by Witt on the social media platform X, where he stated, “We have received confirmation from DOJ that the digital assets forfeited by Samourai Wallet have not been liquidated and will not be liquidated.” This revelation puts to rest concerns that the U.S. Marshals Service violated Executive Order 14233, signed by President Donald Trump, which prohibits the sale of Bitcoin obtained through criminal or civil forfeiture.
The issue initially surfaced when blockchain analysts detected a transfer of 57.5 Bitcoin (BTC) from a U.S. government-controlled address to a Coinbase Prime deposit address. However, recent confirmations have clarified that these assets were not sold.
Currently, the U.S. government holds a substantial Bitcoin reserve, totaling 328,372 BTC, with a market value exceeding $31.3 billion. This figure includes 127,271 Bitcoin seized in a separate case involving a Cambodia-based company accused of operating a deceptive crypto investment scheme.
The Trump administration continues to prioritize expanding the SBR. In a recent interview, Witt emphasized that enhancing this reserve remains a key objective, contingent upon aligning with the Treasury and Commerce departments on legal considerations.
A legislative proposal backed by U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis aims to streamline the accumulation of Bitcoin for the reserve, targeting the acquisition of 1 million BTC over five years. The government plans to pursue this strategy in a budget-neutral manner, ensuring no additional cost to taxpayers.