Bitcoin Sale: DOJ Breaches Reserve Order

DOJ Allegedly Violates Executive Order in Bitcoin Sale

• The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is under scrutiny for selling $6.3 million worth of Bitcoin, allegedly violating a presidential executive order.
• The Bitcoin was forfeited from Samourai Wallet, known for its privacy-centric features, through a plea deal related to money laundering.
• The sale bypassed USMS custody, with the assets sent directly to a Coinbase Prime address on November 3, 2025, which now holds a zero balance.
• Executive Order 14233 prohibits the sale of forfeited Bitcoin unless under specific exceptions, none of which applied in this case according to legal experts.
• The prosecution originated under the previous administration and continues despite a DOJ memo directing otherwise in 2025.

The DOJ’s sale of $6.3 million in Bitcoin from Samourai Wallet developers may have violated Executive Order 14233 by bypassing required procedures and lacking applicable exceptions.