Bitcoin Magazine
If Congress Wants To Be Pro Bitcoin, Then Act Like It
I have recently observed that numerous members of the U.S. Congress, who publicly advocate for Bitcoin, seem to lack awareness about the ongoing legal proceedings against Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill.
As a passionate supporter of Bitcoin, this situation is quite astounding to me. The prosecution of the Samourai Wallet team, alongside the charges against Roman Sterlingov, who is accused of running the mixer Bitcoin Fog, and Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, developers of Tornado Cash, represent some of the most significant legal challenges to the private and sovereign use of Bitcoin at this time.
Currently, Roman Storm is imprisoned following a conviction founded upon solely unverified claims made by the blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, without any substantial evidence. The charges against the developers of Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash are based on money laundering laws for creating software that allows for self-custodial control of funds, meaning they could never exert control over users’ assets under any scenario.
The fact that these pressing issues aren’t even on the radar of any Congress member claiming to support Bitcoin is simply ludicrous.
Let’s work to change that. I urge every U.S. citizen reading this to utilize the template letter below, complete the necessary details, and send it to your congressional representative, particularly if you reside in a district where the representative has publicly declared support for Bitcoin.
This article is a Take. The opinions expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zipcode]
[Email]
[Phone Number]
[Date]
The Honorable [Congressman or Congresswoman’s Name]
[Congressman/Congresswoman’s Address]
[City, State, Zipcode]
Dear Representative [or] Senator [Name],
I am reaching out as a concerned resident of [your State] to highlight an urgent matter concerning the prosecution of open-source developers in the Bitcoin and broader cryptocurrency community.
The cases against Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill from Samourai Wallet, as well as Roman Semenov and Roman Storm from Tornado Cash, revolve around various allegations tied to conspiracy for money laundering. Each of these individuals has purely dedicated their efforts to developing and sharing open-source software that is accessible to the public.
A core aspect of decentralized systems like Bitcoin is the autonomy granted to users to manage and transact their finances through open-source software that communicates over a decentralized network. When engaging with cryptocurrencies in this manner, no party other than the software end-user can dictate, control, or hinder asset transfers within these decentralized frameworks.
These four individuals have solely focused on creating and maintaining open-source software designed to assist network users in safeguarding their privacy. Americans maintain an inherent right to privacy, particularly in their financial dealings, which is why federal laws like the Bank Secrecy Act require financial institutions to protect the confidentiality of individuals’ financial information.
However, the nature of blockchains is that they function as public information repositories. To ensure compliance with the decentralized network rules, every individual must have the capability to download and verify the complete transaction history of a blockchain. This transparency means that anyone conducting transactions may unwittingly reveal the extent of their wealth and future financial activities, raising significant concerns about personal security.
The presence of such sensitive data in the public domain poses considerable risks to individuals’ physical safety. The rising values of cryptocurrencies have correlated with increased incidents of kidnappings, assaults, and home invasions targeting individuals to steal their Bitcoin.
Tools that empower users to preserve their privacy while interacting on networks like Bitcoin are essential for both their privacy and safety. Both Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash provide these capabilities in a self-custodial manner, ensuring that solely the end users hold control over their transactions. Consequently, no identifiable legal entity can be held accountable under the current charges, which typically apply to custodial financial firms bound by regulatory frameworks.
In a related case, Roman Sterlingov has faced conviction for allegedly operating a custodial mixing service aimed at enhancing privacy on the Bitcoin network. While this service was custodial and thus beholden to financial regulations, the evidence presented during the trial of Sterlingov’s involvement was merely circumstantial. Detailed discussions around this evidence’s reliability are available on public records, particularly from Sterlingov’s lawyer, Tor Ekeland.
I strongly encourage you to delve into these issues and take corrective measures against these gross injustices perpetrated through the misapplication of financial laws against open-source software developers, and the blatant disregard for the evidentiary standards required for a conviction in criminal trials.
[Include the bold section only if your congressional representative is a declared pro-Bitcoin advocate]
This matter is critically important in preserving the freedom to engage with Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in a self-custodial manner that respects personal liberties. I look forward to seeing your congressional actions align with your publicly expressed pro-Bitcoin sentiments.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
This article If Congress Wants To Be Pro Bitcoin, Then Act Like It first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and was authored by Shinobi.
