Edward Snowden criticized the recent actions taken by the U.S. Department of Justice against app developers, emphasizing the importance of financial privacy in a recent social media post.

In response to the Department of Justice’s crackdown on app developers, Snowden voiced his disapproval on X (formerly Twitter). He stated, “The Department of ‘Justice’ has once again targeted the developers of an app that enhances financial privacy. The solution lies in making financial transactions private by default. Privacy should not be considered ‘exceptional’ as that would lead to its criminalization.”

Snowden’s comments were prompted by the arrest and legal charges brought against the executives of a cryptocurrency mixing service.

The CEO and co-founders of Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, were apprehended and accused of offenses related to money laundering and unlicensed money transmission. These charges revolve around the alleged involvement of their company in illicit transactions exceeding \(2 billion, including over \)100 million in money laundering activities.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Rodriguez and Hill were arrested for their role in creating, promoting, and running a cryptocurrency mixer that facilitated unlawful transactions from dark web markets like Silk Road and Hydra Market.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams disclosed that Rodriguez and Hill were complicit in laundering more than $100 million in criminal proceeds from various illegal undertakings. Hill, who was detained in Portugal, will face extradition to the United States for trial.

The recent tweet by Snowden underscores his unwavering advocacy for financial privacy, especially within the realm of cryptocurrency. He had previously shown support for Roman Storm, a co-founder of Tornado Cash, another cryptocurrency mixing service embroiled in legal battles. Snowden firmly believes that “Privacy should not be considered a criminal act.”

These developments echo the sentiments of former U.S. Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has contended that penalizing an entire protocol or business practice is both unlawful and unconstitutional. Ramaswamy specifically criticized the Treasury Department’s decision to impose sanctions on Tornado Cash.

These events shed light on the ongoing discourse surrounding financial privacy, particularly in the domain of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin BTC/USD and Ethereum ETH/USD, and the legal hurdles faced by companies operating in this sector.