Todd Blanche, author of DOJ crypto enforcement memo, now interim AG

The U.S. Department of Justice has a new leader at its helm. Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, was appointed by President Donald Trump, as announced on Thursday. This decision came after the removal of Attorney General Pam Bondi from the position.

Blanche is no stranger to high-profile cases, having represented Trump in a criminal case in New York prior to Trump’s reelection as U.S. President in 2024. Upon rejoining the administration, he was named deputy attorney general.

One of Blanche’s early actions as deputy attorney general was the disbanding of the DOJ’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, which was established in 2022 under former President Joe Biden. Additionally, he signed a memo instructing prosecutors not to pursue regulatory violation cases in the cryptocurrency industry.

This memo played a significant role in the case against Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm in the Southern District of New York. While one charge against Storm was dropped, he still faces legal challenges and a retrial later this year.

In a recent government ethics disclosure, Blanche revealed that he transferred his crypto assets, including Bitcoin, Solana, Ethereum, Polygon, DOT, Quant, and Coinbase stock, to his children and a grandchild. However, it was later revealed by ProPublica that he still held these assets, valued between $159,000 and $485,000, at the time he signed the enforcement memo. This action violated ethics rules and his pledge to divest before working on crypto-related matters.

The appointment of Todd Blanche as the head of the DOJ raises questions about conflicts of interest and adherence to ethical standards. His handling of cryptocurrency-related issues will be closely scrutinized, especially in light of his personal investments in the sector. It remains to be seen how Blanche’s leadership will shape the Department of Justice’s approach to cryptocurrency regulation and enforcement.