The co-founder of Tornado Cash, novel Storm, found guilty for a crime leader in August, could be closer to avoiding a possible new trial on additional accusations following a declaration by a civil servant of the Ministry of Justice.
Explaining at a Thursday summit in Wyoming organized by the American Crypto-Monnaies Defense Organization Project, Matthew Galeotti, the interim assistant prosecutor for the criminal division of the Ministry of Justice, suggested that the ministry would modify its approach to certain cases of application involving crypto and blockchain.
The official of the DoJ said that his remarks were to give clarity following a service note in April of the American assistant prosecutor Todd Blanche, entitled “End of the regulations by pursuit”.
Although he does not mention the storm by name, Galeotti has mentioned questions similar to his criminal case, suggesting that the Ministry of Justice would continue “the impartial application of the law”, in particular in some cases involving allegations of exploitation of a money issuer without license.
“Our opinion is that the writing of the code, without bad intention, is not a crime,” said Galeotti. “Innovating new ways for the economy to store and transmit value and create wealth, without bad intention, is not a crime. The criminal division will however continue to pursue those who knowingly commit crimes or who help and encourage the crime commission, including fraud, money laundering and sanctions. “
He added:
“The ministry will not use federal criminal laws to shape a new regulatory regime on the digital asset industry. The ministry will not use the accusation acts as a tensile tool. The ministry should not let innovators guess what could lead to criminal proceedings. ”
Galeotti’s declaration did not necessarily mean that the United States government would not continue a new trial against the storm for conspiracy to commit money laundering and the conspiracy to violate the sanctions, accusations on which a jury dead end in August. However, for an official of the Ministry of Justice, to speak openly about a change in application policies during a cryptocurrency event could point out a different approach to criminal cases involving digital assets in the future.
“When the evidence shows that the software is really decentralized and only automates peer transactions, and when a third party does not have custody and control of user assets (new charges) will not be approved,” said Galeotti, citing the relevant law.
In relation: The new potential trial of Roman Storm rejected after an extension of the courtyard
Tornado cash developer still in legal danger after the trial
Storm was charged in the United States in August 2023 for a conspiracy to commit money laundering, a conspiracy in sight to exploit a silver issuer without license and a plot to violate American sanctions. He was found guilty of conspiracy to exploit a silver issuer without license following a four -week trial, while the jury appeared on the other two accusations.
The co-founder of Tornado Cash should soon be sentenced for the single count, but no hearing has been filed on the court of the court from the time of publication. Before and thanks to the trial, Storm and his supporters of the cryptographic industry reiterated the assertion that “code writing is not a crime” – notes that Galeotti echoes Thursday.
“If a developer only contributes to the code to an open source project without the specific intention of helping criminal conduct, helping or raising particular crime, or joining a criminal plot, he is not criminally responsible,” said Galeotti. “With regard to criminal proceedings, participation in the digital asset ecosystem should not and do not submit individuals to a different level of control.”
The law is neutral of technology (…) The ministry simplifies things to keep the bad players responsible while avoiding the prosecution of involuntary regulatory violations. »»
“Roman Storm was convicted of this exact accusation in this exact circumstance,” said the legal director of the variant Jake Cervinsky in a post on Thursday X, referring to the Galeotti declaration. “Justice for Roman means abandoning the case.”
The Councils of the Ministry of Justice, suggesting that the American government would adopt a different approach to application cases – potentially affecting developers like Storm – received applause during the American Innovation Project Summit. The non -profit organization, aimed at educating decision -makers and encouraging public advocacy on digital assets, was launched on Tuesday.
Review: Can private life survive the policy of American crypto after the conviction of Roman Storm?