DeFi Education Fund Urges Trump to End DOJ’s Case Against Roman Storm

The DeFi Education Fund has formally petitioned the Trump administration to intervene in the ongoing prosecution of Roman Storm, a co-founder of Tornado Cash currently facing criminal charges.

The organization, dedicated to research and advocacy within the decentralized finance sector, voiced its concerns in a letter addressed to David Sacks, the White House’s point person on cryptocurrency matters, on April 28.

Petition Letter for Roman Storm’s Case 

The letter implores President Trump to “take immediate action to discontinue the Biden-era Department of Justice’s lawless campaign to criminalize open-source software development,” arguing that Storm’s case represents a dangerous overreach that threatens the foundational principles of technological innovation within the United States.

In August 2023, the U.S. Justice Department charged Storm for his involvement with Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixing service. Authorities allege that individuals used this service to conceal over $1 billion.

Moreover, the charges against Storm include conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, and violations of U.S. sanctions. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of 45 years in prison.

Storm petitioned the court to dismiss all charges, arguing he lacked control over Tornado Cash due to its permanent and open-source nature. However, Judge Katherine Polk Failla denied this request in September 2024.

The DeFi Education Fund’s letter states that the Justice Department is trying a “new idea” to hold developers responsible for what others do with their code, even when the developers “cannot control those others or their money.” The group warns that without questioning this legal idea, it could completely halt open-source development.

A Fight For all Developers

Looking past the details of Storm’s case, the letter warns that the Justice Department’s actions create an unsafe legal situation that “allows enforcement based on political reasons” and puts all open-source developers at risk, no matter their field.

Additionally, the letter stresses that honest coders shouldn’t worry about being sued for what others do with their code. It says holding developers responsible for misuse could hurt progress in finance, AI, and health.

“We’re asking President Trump to shield American software developers, clarify the law, and stop the Justice Department from going too far,” the group stated.

The petition is gaining popularity, with over 253 signatures from notable individuals in the field, including Ethereum developer Tim Beiko, Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang, and Bankless co-founder Ryan Sean Adams.

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