Key Takeaways
- Storm says Google and OpenAI are liable for DPRK hackers using AI, exposing flawed DOJ logic.
- Storm argues his verdict sets a dangerous precedent, punishing neutral developers for user crimes.
- The proposed CLARITY Act offers developer protections, but low passage odds leave coders at risk.
Roman Storm Points at Google and OpenAI as North Korea’s Enablers
Roman Storm, founder of the anonymizing crypto protocol Tornado Cash, has called out Google and OpenAI as enablers of North Korea’s nuclear effort.
Storm, who was convicted of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business in August 2025, pointed out the flawed logic of the U.S. Department of Justice case against him.
On social media, Storm remarked that a recent investigation into North Korean IT workers revealed the continued use of ChatGPT for writing and coding, and of Google Gemini for forgeries and image alteration by these threat actors.
Storm suggested that, following the same logic the DOJ applied against him, these two companies should be liable for the actions of these threat actors, as they provide these services and profit from their subscriptions.
“That’s exactly the theory behind USA v. Roman Storm: build a neutral tool, bad actors abuse it, and the developer gets prosecuted instead of the criminals,” he declared on social media.
“If that logic is absurd for Google and OpenAI – it’s absurd for Roman Storm.
You prosecute the criminal, not the toolmaker. Writing code is not a crime,” he stressed.
Storm and Tornado Cash verdict set a negative legal precedent in the U.S., as software developers can be held liable for code used for illicit purposes. He believes that large companies should also face similar consequences for the use of their products.
“So let’s be consistent: subpoena every Google and OpenAI employee. Dig through their text messages for any hint they knew their tools were used by DPRK. Indict them for 20 years in prison on IEEPA charges,” Storm concluded.
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, known as the CLARITY Act, introduces protections for software developers to be separated from possible illicit use of their protocols; nonetheless, even as there is a scheduled vote on the motion to proceed to its final consideration, the odds of it being passed continue to be low due to the current issues and the closeness of the midterm elections.
