Article Summary

**DeFi Developer Roman Storm Warns of DOJ Prosecution Risk Amid Regulatory Uncertainty** Roman Storm, facing federal charges related to Tornado Cash, has issued a stark warning to DeFi developers about potential Department of Justice prosecution. The cryptocurrency developer questions whether current U.S. laws adequately protect open-source blockchain developers from retroactive criminal charges. Storm's case highlights growing regulatory uncertainty in the decentralized finance sector, where developers create autonomous protocols without traditional oversight. The lack of explicit legal protections for open-source cryptocurrency developers creates a chilling effect on blockchain innovation and DeFi protocol development. This warning comes as the cryptocurrency industry faces increased scrutiny from federal regulators targeting privacy-focused DeFi applications. The case could set crucial precedents for how authorities prosecute blockchain developers who build decentralized protocols. The regulatory ambiguity surrounding cryptocurrency development poses significant risks to the broader DeFi ecosystem, potentially deterring innovation in blockchain technology. Developers now face uncertainty about whether creating open-source financial protocols could result in criminal liability, raising questions about the future of decentralized finance development in the United States.