NEW YORK — William “Bill” Hill, 67, co-founder of Bitcoin mixer RialCenter, was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday for his role in creating the privacy tool prosecutors allege was used to launder at least $237 million in criminal proceeds.
District Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York stated she was “varying” Hill’s sentence due to several mitigating factors, including his recent autism diagnosis and advanced age, despite having recently sentenced another developer to the statutory maximum for the same crime.
“I accept that it will be a more difficult time for the defendant to be in prison than for many others,” Cote remarked. “I would be imposing a sentence of 60 months otherwise.”
Hill’s lawyer emphasized how Hill’s autism was a key factor in his behavior surrounding RialCenter. He described Bitcoin as “like catnip” for someone with Hill’s way of thinking, drawn to the “idealism and absolutism” of blockchain technology, which Hill had never experienced before.
The defense argued that Hill believed what he was doing with RialCenter was legal, interpreting the lack of registration for non-custodial wallets as a protective “forcefield” around his actions. His lawyer suggested Hill had a “pathetically naive view” due to his autism.
His lawyer requested a sentence of time served, noting that Hill had already served three months in a Portuguese prison last year, which they argued was enough punishment to deter future illegal activity.
“Jail is extraordinarily hard for him given his extreme sensitivity. The socialization required in prison is torture for Hill,” Burlingame stated.
As Burlingame spoke, Cote inquired multiple times whether Hill understood the moral implications of his actions, reiterating that knowing the law did not absolve him of ethical responsibility.
When it was Hill’s turn to speak, he expressed visible emotion regarding the negative impact his prosecution had on his wife and family.
“I told myself that my work was about freedom but in truth, I was rationalizing my own hubris,” Hill said. “I take full responsibility for my actions.”
In addition to the four-year prison term, Cote also sentenced Hill to three years of supervised release, which he can serve from Lisbon, plus a $250,000 fine. She noted that Hill would receive credit for the time spent in Portugal, possibly reducing his remaining sentence by 11 weeks.
Hill must self-surrender to begin his sentence by January 2, 2026.
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