Edward Snowden has criticized the U.S. Department of Justice for criminalizing developers of an app that aims to enhance financial privacy. In a recent social media post, Snowden stated, “The Department of ‘Justice’ has once again criminalized the developers of an app that restores financial privacy. The way to fix this it to make money private by default. Privacy must never be ‘exceptional,’ or they will make it criminal.”
Snowden’s comments were prompted by the arrest and charges against the founders and CEO of cryptocurrency mixing service Samourai Wallet. The defendants are accused of facilitating illegal transactions from dark web markets and laundering over $100 million in criminal proceeds. Snowden’s stance aligns with his long-standing advocacy for financial privacy, particularly in the context of cryptocurrencies.
This recent development highlights the ongoing debate around financial privacy in the digital age and the challenges faced by companies operating in the cryptocurrency space. Snowden’s condemnation adds to the voices calling for the protection of personal and financial data in the face of government overreach.
