DeFi Education Fund Urges Trump to Halt DOJ's "Lawless" Pursuit of Tornado Cash Co-Founder

"This Overreach Threatens the Very Foundation of Tech Innovation in the U.S.," Group Warns

In a bold move, the DeFi Education Fund has thrown down the gauntlet, calling on the Trump administration to step in and stop the Department of Justice's relentless pursuit of Roman Storm, the embattled co-founder of Tornado Cash. This isn't just about one man; it's a fight for the soul of open-source development in America.

In a fiery letter sent to White House crypto czar David Sacks on April 28, the group didn't mince words, demanding that President Trump "take immediate action to discontinue the Biden-era Department of Justice's lawless campaign to criminalize open-source software development." They're not pulling any punches here, folks.

The DeFi Education Fund is sounding the alarm, warning that Storm's case is just the tip of the iceberg in a broader overreach that "threatens the very foundation of technological innovation" in the United States. It's a chilling thought, and one that should have every tech enthusiast sitting up and taking notice.

Storm, who was slapped with charges by the U.S. Department of Justice back in August 2023, is accused of being the mastermind behind laundering over $1 billion through Tornado Cash, a notorious crypto mixing service. But is he really the villain they're making him out to be?

The stakes couldn't be higher for Storm, who's facing a laundry list of charges, including conspiracy to facilitate money laundering, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitter, and violating U.S. sanctions. If convicted, he could be looking at a staggering 45 years behind bars. It's enough to make your head spin.

Storm didn't go down without a fight, filing a motion to dismiss all charges last year, arguing that Tornado Cash was an immutable, open-source protocol beyond his control. But U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla wasn't buying it, denying the motion in September 2024 and ruling that the indictment met the legal threshold to proceed to trial. A subsequent bid for reconsideration was also shot down in February 2025. It's a legal battle that's showing no signs of slowing down.

The DeFi Education Fund is calling out the Department of Justice for pushing an "unprecedented theory" by trying to hold developers liable for how others use their code, even when they have "no control over those third parties or user assets." It's a slippery slope, and one that could have far-reaching consequences for the entire tech industry.

If left unchecked, the group warns, this legal approach could "freeze" open-source development altogether. It's a chilling prospect, and one that should have every developer in America on high alert.

But the DeFi Education Fund isn't just fighting for Storm; they're fighting for the entire blockchain industry. They point out that Storm's prosecution appears to contradict earlier Treasury Department guidance issued during Trump's first term, which clarified that developers of self-custodial, peer-to-peer protocols are not considered money transmitters under federal law. "We in the blockchain industry have relied on that guidance in good faith since 2019," the letter states, and they're not about to let the DOJ walk all over it now.

The group is sounding the alarm, warning that beyond Storm's individual case, the DOJ's actions create a legal environment that "empowers politically-motivated enforcement" and puts every open-source developer at risk, regardless of industry. "No one writing code in good faith should have to fear prosecution for the actions of strangers," the letter argues, and they're right. If developers are held liable for how their tools are used, innovation in fields like financial technology, artificial intelligence, and even healthcare could be stifled. It's a nightmare scenario, and one that we can't afford to let happen.

The DeFi Education Fund is calling on President Trump to step up and protect the very builders who are creating the future of technology. "Achieving the goal of making America the 'crypto capital of the planet,'" they say, "requires protecting the very builders who create the underlying technology." It's a rallying cry, and one that's gaining momentum.

"We ask President Trump to protect American software developers, restore legal clarity, and end this unlawful DOJ overreach," the group writes, and the stakes "could not be higher" for the future of crypto innovation in the U.S. It's a battle cry, and one that's resonating with industry leaders across the board.

Support for the petition is growing by the day, with over 253 signatures as of press time from heavy hitters like Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko, Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang, and Bankless co-founder Ryan Sean Adams. It's a who's who of the crypto world, and they're all standing behind Storm and the DeFi Education Fund's fight for justice.