🚨NEW: THE PEOPLE AND THE MACHINE

Last year, Roman Sterlingov was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for allegedly operating the early bitcoin mixer Bitcoin Fog.

For the first time, he now speaks out on the abuse he has experienced in the US Justice system, and what it means to lose your privacy – both for those incarcerated, and for everyone else in society.

Read Roman Sterlingov’s full guest post here: https://www.therage.co/the-people-and-the-machine/

🚨NEW: VEGAS 2026: THE DOJ’S DEVELOPER EXEMPTIONS

In one of the most anticipated talks of this year's Bitcoin Conference, Todd Blanche promised developers would no longer be targeted – with an important caveat:

Once a developer knows that their software is being used for criminal activity, the DOJ could send them to prison for decades to come.

https://www.therage.co/blanche-vegas/

💥NEW: LETTER #6: TWO YEARS IN

On the two year anniversary of his prosecution, Samourai Wallet developer Keonne Rodriguez reflects on the War on Crypto.

https://www.therage.co/letter-6-two-years-in/

💥NEW: ACQUITTAL FOR STORM? BREAKING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT’S EXOTIC THEORIES

At last week's hearing for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, the Government presented theories against Storm's acquittal that, at points, seemed to defy basic logic – to the point that even the Judge cautioned the prosecution.

With enough imagination, anyone could be criminally liable for creating software in the Southern District of New York, it seems.

https://www.therage.co/acquittal-for-storm-exotic-theories/

🚨 NEW: NO ACQUITTAL FOR STORM TODAY

Will Roman Storm be freed? After a much anticipated hearing on the Tornado Cash developer’s motion for acquittal, we still don’t know.

Judge Failla again appeared to treat the raised constitutional issues stepmotherly – but did still not seem convinced whether SDNY had proven to have jurisdiction over Storm’s case.

Meanwhile, the prosecution appeared to continue to struggle to lay out how Tornado Cash actually works.

Full story: https://www.therage.co/roman-storm-acquittal-2/

🚨 NEW: 4CHAN LAWYERS INTRODUCE BRITISH FIRST AMENDMENT

4Chan lawyers have been trolling Ofcom over fines imposed under the UK's Online Safety Act. Now, they mean business: by introducing the UK Free Speech Act.

“In a free society, fools, bigots, and assholes get to speak and remain free men. That is not the price of liberty. It is liberty, and the rest of us get it too,” says 4Chan lawyer Preston Byrne.

The UK has made over 12,000 arrests for online posts since 2023, more than 30 arrests per day.

🔗 Full story: https://www.therage.co/4chan-uk-free-speech-act/

🇺🇲🇵🇸 US WEAPONIZES GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM AGAINST PALESTINIAN ADVOCACY, POLICY GROUP SAYS

The Palestinian Policy Network Al-Shabaka has laid out how the United States leverages the global financial system against Palestinian advocacy in its latest policy paper.

Citing an Executive Order enacted last year that allows the US Treasury to act against anyone "assisting" the International Criminal Court, Al-Shabaka argues that overcompliance in the financial services industry has led to blocking of assets and financial transactions, debanking, as well as total funding bans for even tangentially related groups.

"Most international transactions clear through US-linked banks and financial institutions," Al-Shabaka writes, allowing for sanctions issued by the US to reverberate far beyond US borders.

"Washington’s dominance over the global financial system gives this censorship regime its devastating reach."

https://al-shabaka.org/briefs/us-sanctions-criminalizing-palestinian-and-global-justice-work/

🇪🇺🇳🇱 DUTCH COURT OF AUDITS FINDS "NO UNDERSTANDING" OF EFFECTIVENESS FOR AML APPROACH

The Dutch Court of Audits has published a paper on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) in banking, finding that "there is no understanding of the effectiveness of the anti-money laundering approach."

The paper states that "it is not clear whether the increasing controls by banks actually contribute to the prevention and detection of money laundering," while highlighting the significant costs imposed on banks.

According to the court, AML measures are discriminatory particularly towards people with foreign surnames, stating that the lack of proven effectiveness of the measures "does not establish that this distinction is justified."

The court plans to put its research into EU perspective later this year.

🚨 GERMAN BANKS SEIZE ACCOUNTS OF JOURNALISTS WIFE

The bank accounts of German journalist Hüseyin Dogru's wife have been seized, putting his family at risk of homelessness. Dogru was sanctioned by the EU for reporting on Palestinian resistance movements in 2024.

His wife's accounts have now been seized under the argument that Dogru may be able to control the accounts.

Last week, German courts denied an easing of restrictions on Dogru's bank accounts after he appealed to authorities to fulfill his basic needs.

🚨 GERMAN BANKS SEIZE ACCOUNTS OF JOURNALISTS WIFE
The bank accounts of German journalist Hüseyin Dogru's wife have been seized, putting his family at risk of homelessness.
Dogru was sanctioned by the EU for reporting on Palestinian resistance movements in 2024. His wife's accounts have now been seized under the argument that Dogru may be able to control the accounts.
"Every time my case gets media attention, German authorities impose more repressive measures — not only against me, but against my family," Dogru writes on X.
"They knowingly put my children’s lives in danger. I am calling on the international community for support — not for me, but for my children."
Last week, German courts denied an easing of restrictions on Dogru's bank accounts after he appealed to authorities to fulfill his basic needs.

🚨 GERMAN BANKS SEIZE ACCOUNTS OF JOURNALISTS WIFE

The bank accounts of German journalist Hüseyin Dogru's wife have been seized, putting his family at risk of homelessness.

Dogru was sanctioned by the EU for reporting on Palestinian resistance movements in 2024. His wife's accounts have now been seized under the argument that Dogru may be able to control the accounts.

"Every time my case gets media attention, German authorities impose more repressive measures – Not only against me, but against my family," Dogru writes on X.

"They knowingly put my children’s lives in danger. I am calling on the international community for support — not for me, but for my children."

Last week, German courts denied an easing of restrictions on Dogru's bank accounts after he appealed to authorities to fulfill his basic needs.

🚨 JUST IN: Texas Court Dismisses Lawsuit against Pam Bondi over Non-Custodial Software Prosecutions

A Texas Court has dismissed a lawsuit by cryptocurrency developer Michael Lewellen filed against Attorney General Pam Bondi, in which he alleged that criminal cases brought against non-custodial privacy software developers kept him from freely publishing his own privacy software.

The court has now dismissed the case, arguing that Lewellen faces no credible threat of prosecution because:

>He says his software is only software
>He disclaims knowingly transmitting illegal proceeds
>Deputy AG Todd Blanche issued a April 2025 memo promising to no longer prosecute developers of software

The Texas ruling fails to acknowledge that the US Government continued to prosecute both the developers of Samourai Wallet as well as Roman Storm of Tornado Cash with the Blanche memo in place, directly affecting Lewellen's claim.

Link to the full ruling: https://www.coincenter.org/app/uploads/2026/03/41_Lewellen_re_MTD_3-25-2026.pdf