While the memo reads that “the Department will no longer target virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and offline wallets for the acts of their end users or unwitting violations of regulations,” there appears to be very little clarity as to whom the DOJ considers to “use digital assets in furtherance of criminal offenses” – individuals thereby excluded by the DAG’s statements.

Both in the prosecution of Storm, as well as in the prosecution of Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill, the agency is currently claiming that the entire point of developing their respected privacy services was to enrich themselves on criminal activity, placing them well within frame of the memo’s exceptions.

Notably, the DAG’s memo specifically excludes a subsection of USC 18 §1960, which is “at the heart of the Storm and Samourai Wallet cases,” posted CEO of the DeFi Education Fund Amanda Tuminelli on X.

Due to this exclusion, the prosecution of both Tornado Cash and Samourai Wallet developers will continue to set precedent over whether developers of non-custodial services can be held liable for the actions of their users, and must further deploy comprehensive anti-money laundering frameworks as required of any money service business, including know-your customer checks.