# Samourai Wallet / Whirlpool

> Source: https://fuckyc.org/services/samourai-whirlpool/
> Website: https://samouraiwallet.com/
> Categories: Mixers & coinjoin, Privacy wallets
> KYC: none — Whirlpool coinjoin coordinator was operated by Samourai Wallet. The service was seized in April 2024 when U.S. authorities arrested the developers.
> Status: seized
> Jurisdiction: previously US/EU; service seized
> Fiat on-ramp: no
> Founded: 2015
> Open source: yes
> Custodial: no
> Last verified: 2026-01-01

## Verdict

Samourai Wallet and its Whirlpool coordinator were a significant part of the Bitcoin coinjoin ecosystem until U.S. authorities seized the coordinator and arrested the developers in April 2024. Listed for historical record. Do not trust binaries or services advertising the Samourai name in 2025 onward without explicit provenance.

## Strengths

- Designed an influential coinjoin protocol (Whirlpool) with mathematically provable non-discrimination.
- Strong on-device tooling (Stowaway PayJoin, Stonewall, Ricochet).

## Caveats

- U.S. DOJ seized the Whirlpool coordinator and arrested the developers in April 2024.
- Wallet binaries hosted by Samourai are no longer signed by the original team.
- Forks (Sparrow's integration with Whirlpool ended; community alternatives have variable trust) exist; do not assume any post-seizure operator is the original team.
- Listed for historical reference and to flag fakes claiming the name.
- Facts need re-verification by operator (last seeded 2026-01).

---

## What Samourai was

A Bitcoin wallet and Whirlpool coinjoin coordinator, until April 2024.

## Threat-model fit

Historical record only. The Samourai brand is no longer a trusted identity in 2025+.

## Sources

- [U.S. DOJ press release on Samourai arrests](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/founders-and-ceo-cryptocurrency-mixing-service-arrested-and-charged-money-laundering) — accessed 2026-01-01
- [Samourai Wallet site (post-seizure)](https://samouraiwallet.com/) — accessed 2026-01-01