Crypto Advocates Urge Trump to Halt “Lawless” Prosecution of Developers

The DeFi Education Fund, a prominent crypto lobbying group, has made an urgent appeal to the Trump administration, calling for immediate intervention in what it describes as the “lawless prosecution” of open-source software developers. In a letter addressed to White House crypto advisor David Sacks on April 28, the group pressed President Donald Trump to curb the Department of Justice’s actions against developers like Roman Storm, a co-creator of the Tornado Cash crypto mixer. Storm faces serious allegations of aiding in laundering over $1 billion through Tornado Cash, with his trial slated for July. Meanwhile, his co-founder Roman Semenov remains at large. The DeFi Education Fund argues that prosecuting developers based on how others use their open-source code is not only unjust but sets a chilling precedent that could stifle innovation across the crypto industry in the U.S. The letter emphasized that during Trump’s previous term, the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) clarified that developers of self-custodial, peer-to-peer protocols are not considered money transmitters. The ongoing prosecutions, they argue, directly contradict that guidance, creating a hostile environment that could drive crypto innovation offshore. Group Thanks Trump Beyond defending individual developers, the DeFi Education Fund warned that continuing this approach could have a devastating ripple effect across the entire technology sector. “This kind of legal environment does not just chill innovation — it freezes it,” the letter stated. It further warned that political motivations could endanger developers in various industries if left unchecked. The group also thanked Trump for his vocal support of the crypto industry and his ambition to position America as the “crypto capital of the planet.” However, they noted that achieving this vision is impossible if developers are held criminally liable for merely writing code. “The job’s not finished, and the stakes could not be higher,” the letter concluded. Leaders Express Concern Industry leaders have echoed these concerns. Jake Chervinsky, Chief Legal Officer at Variant Fund, called the DOJ’s case against Storm “an outdated remnant of the Biden administration’s war on crypto,” highlighting the lack of legal and policy justification for such prosecutions. At the time of writing, the petition had already amassed 232 signatures from key figures across the industry, including Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, Paradigm’s Matt Huang, and Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko—signaling a growing consensus that protecting developers is vital for crypto’s future in the United States. The post Crypto Advocates Urge Trump to Halt “Lawless” Prosecution of Developers appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .

Source: The Coin Rise