This marks the first time a major government has targeted venture capital firms for investing in privacy-preserving financial technology, representing an unprecedented expansion of control over digital financial systems. The focus on KYC implementation discussions shows authorities moving beyond direct operators to prosecute even early-stage investors who supported privacy technology development.
DOJ Tornado Cash Probe: Digital Babylon's Financial Control Expands
📰 What Happened
The US Department of Justice is expanding its investigation into Tornado Cash, targeting cryptocurrency venture firm Dragonfly Capital and its General Partner Tom Schmidt. The probe centers on Dragonfly's 2020 investment in PepperSec, Tornado Cash's developer. Court proceedings revealed email discussions between co-founder Roman Storm and Dragonfly partners about implementing KYC protocols. Dragonfly partner Haseeb Qureshi defended their position, stating they obtained legal opinions confirming compliance before investing.
📖 Prophetic Significance
The United States, representing modern Babylon's financial center, is asserting unprecedented control over digital financial privacy. The targeting of Tornado Cash's VC investors, particularly Dragonfly Capital's 2020 investment, demonstrates the systematic dismantling of financial privacy tools. This aligns with prophecies about Babylon's economic control systems. The DOJ's expansion beyond direct operators to early investors parallels Daniel's description of the final kingdom's thorough dominion over buying and selling. The emphasis on KYC protocols reveals the infrastructure for comprehensive financial surveillance prophesied in Revelation.