Urgent: Crypto Group Demands Trump End ‘Lawless’ Prosecution of Roman Storm, Devs
A significant plea has been sent to the Trump administration concerning the legal challenges facing crypto developers. The DeFi Education Fund, a prominent crypto lobby group, is calling on President Donald Trump to intervene and halt what they describe as the “lawless prosecution” of open-source software developers, specifically mentioning Roman Storm, a co-founder of the Tornado Cash mixing service.
Why the Crypto Prosecution is Under Fire
The core of the DeFi Education Fund‘s argument centers on the case against Roman Storm. Storm was charged in August 2023 with allegations related to laundering over $1 billion in crypto via Tornado Cash. His trial is scheduled for July.
The group contends that the Department of Justice is attempting to hold software developers criminally responsible for how third parties use their code. They argue this approach:
- Is fundamentally absurd in principle.
- Establishes a dangerous precedent that could severely restrict all crypto development within the United States.
- Contradicts prior guidance from the Treasury Department’s FinCEN during Trump’s first term, which indicated developers of self-custodial protocols are not money transmitters.
Jake Chervinsky, chief legal officer at Variant Fund, echoed these concerns, labeling the case against Storm an “outdated remnant of the Biden administration’s war on crypto.” He asserts there is no legal or policy basis for prosecuting developers for creating non-custodial smart contract protocols.
Stakes Are High for Trump Crypto Ambitions
The letter to White House crypto czar David Sacks acknowledges President Trump’s stated goal of making America the “crypto capital of the planet.” However, the DeFi Education Fund warns that this ambition cannot be realized if developers face crypto prosecution for building the essential tools that power the technology.
They argue that the current legal environment doesn’t just slow down innovation; it effectively stops it. This situation, they claim, also opens the door for politically motivated enforcement actions, putting every open-source developer at risk, regardless of their industry.
Industry Rallies Behind Roman Storm
The petition requesting Trump to end the prosecution has garnered significant support from the crypto industry. As of the time of the original report, it had attracted 232 signatures from industry leaders and developers. Notable signatories include Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang, and Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko.
The group’s message is clear: “We ask President Trump to protect American software developers, restore legal clarity, and end this unlawful DOJ overreach.” They emphasize that the job of building a thriving US crypto industry is far from finished, and the stakes could not be higher, particularly concerning cases like that of Roman Storm and the broader implications for projects like Tornado Cash.
Summary: A Call for Clarity in Crypto Law
The plea from the DeFi Education Fund to the Trump administration highlights a critical tension point in the US crypto landscape: the legal status of open-source software developers. The case against Roman Storm for his involvement with Tornado Cash is seen by many in the industry as a direct threat to innovation. By asking President Trump to intervene and end this specific crypto prosecution, the group seeks to establish clearer legal boundaries that protect developers and align with the goal of fostering a leading US Trump crypto industry. The outcome of this and similar cases will significantly shape the future of crypto development in the United States.
