DOJ Shifts Crypto Focus, Raising Questions About Tornado Cash
After years of targeting founders and developers of crypto infrastructure for allegedly operating unlicensed money services and violating U.S. sanctions, the Department of Justice is shifting its approach.
In an April 7 memo, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the DOJ will no longer prioritize enforcement actions against virtual currency exchanges, mixers, and non-custodial wallets. Instead, the Department will focus on bad actors—those using those permissionless technology tools to support terrorism, trafficking, organized crime, and other illicit activities.
“The DOJ is finally recognizing that software developers are not the right targets,” said Jason Gottlieb, a litigation partner at Morrison…
