DOJ Official States 'Well-Intentioned' Developers Not Liable for Third-Party Misuse Following Tornado Cash Co-Founder's Conviction

Justice Department's New Stance: The Justice Department is easing its approach towards developers of decentralized platforms for cryptocurrency, stating that writing code without criminal intent is not a crime.

Liability for Developers: Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti emphasized that developers of "neutral tools" should not be held liable for third-party misuse, suggesting that those misusing the tools should face prosecution instead.

Focus on Bad Actors: The Criminal Division will continue to target individuals exploiting technologies for illegal activities while supporting innovation in the cryptocurrency space.

Recent Legal Context: These remarks follow the conviction of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, highlighting ongoing debates about the responsibilities of software developers in the crypto industry.