Oh, what a tangled web of code and chaos! Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, found guilty on one felony count in August, seems to edge closer to evading a possible retrial on additional charges, thanks to a Justice Department officialās cryptic musings. š
Speaking at a Thursday summit in Wyoming, organized by the cryptocurrency advocacy group American Innovation Project, Matthew Galeotti, the acting assistant attorney general, delivered a speech so convoluted it couldāve been written by a bot. š§
The DOJ official referenced an April memo titled āEnding Regulation by Prosecution,ā which sounds like a manifesto for the digital age. š§ āØ
Though not mentioning Storm by name, Galeottiās remarks danced around his case like a moth around a flame, suggesting the department would pursue āeven-handed enforcement of the law.ā A phrase as vague as a crypto wallet password. š
āMerely writing code, without ill intent, is not a crime,ā Galeotti proclaimed, as if the law had suddenly adopted a new religion. āInnovating new ways for the economy to store and transmit valueā¦ is not a crime.ā A sentiment so noble it made the IRS weep. š»š„
He added:
āThe department will not use federal criminal statutes to fashion a new regulatory regime over the digital asset industry. The department will not use indictments as a law-making tool.ā A promise as flimsy as a blockchain in a hurricane. āļøš
Galeottiās statement did not necessarily mean the US government would abandon its quest to retry Storm for conspiracy to commit money laundering. But for a DOJ official to speak openly about changing enforcement policies at a crypto event? A spectacle as rare as a snowball in a desert. š§
āWhere the evidence shows software is truly decentralizedā¦ [new charges] will not be approved,ā said Galeotti, citing the law with the enthusiasm of a librarian. š§ āļø
Tornado Cash Developer Still in Legal Jeopardy After Trial
Storm was indicted in August 2023 for conspiracy to commit money laundering, a charge so broad it couldāve been used to jail a toddler. He was found guilty of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitter, while the jury deadlocked on the other two charges. A verdict as confusing as a crypto fork. š
The Tornado Cash co-founder is expected to be sentenced for the single count soon, but no hearing has been filed. A delay as suspenseful as a Netflix series finale. š»
āIf a developer merely contributes code to an open-source project without the specific intent to assist criminal conductā¦ he or she is not criminally liable,ā said Galeotti, a statement so clear it couldāve been a public service announcement. š§
āRoman Storm was just convicted on this exact charge under this exact circumstance,ā said Variant chief legal officer Jake Chervinsky in a Thursday X post. āJustice for Roman means dropping the case.ā A plea as heartfelt as a Bitcoin donation. š§ š„
The Justice Department guidance, suggesting a different approach to enforcement cases, received cheers at the summit. A moment of hope in a world where even code is a crime. š§ āØ
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2025-08-21 22:26