Roman Storm challenges Google and OpenAI over DOJ legal logic

Roman Storm, the founder of the anonymizing cryptocurrency protocol Tornado Cash, has criticized Google and OpenAI, arguing they should face similar legal consequences to those applied to him by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Storm, who was convicted in August 2025 of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, contends that the DOJ’s logic is flawed. He noted that investigations have shown North Korean IT workers using ChatGPT for coding and Google Gemini for creating forgeries and image alterations. Storm argues that if developers are held liable for how bad actors abuse neutral tools, then large tech companies should also be held responsible for the illicit use of their subscription-based services.

Storm stated, “You prosecute the criminal, not the toolmaker. Writing code is not a crime.” He expressed concern that the Tornado Cash verdict sets a negative legal precedent in the U.S., where software developers can be held liable for how their code is utilized. While the proposed Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) aims to provide protections for developers, its chances of passing remain uncertain.