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Re:A software change allowed FTX to use client money by galaxyLogic on Wednesday December 14, 2022 @02:15AM (#33980896)
I would say no. They just need to know how to implement what they are asked to implement.

Say you are an engineer working for a gun manufacturer. You need to know how to manufacture the gun. You don't need to know what it is used for or by whom or even how much it is sold for.

If you are aware that a crime is going on you in principle are required to report it, but not doing so is not nearly at the same level of crime as actually doing the crime. So here I think the court will look at two things?

Did the engineer know that a crime was being committed?

Did the engineer personally benefit from the proceeds of the crime more than their ordinary salary?

I am not a lawyer though so don't take my advise.:-)

Re:A software change allowed FTX to use client money by XajniN on Wednesday December 14, 2022 @10:29AM (#33984800)
That is a very bad analogy. Guns are not illegal, what people do with them might be. What these developers made had no lawful use. A better analogy would be if some engineers in a gun factory were making chemical weapons.
Re:A software change allowed FTX to use client money by galaxyLogic on Wednesday December 14, 2022 @06:17PM (#33992246)
There are laws against chemical weapons but I don't think there are laws against producing any kind of software. It's more what you do with the software. Whereas with chemical weapons they are criminalized as such because it is clear they can be used only for one purpose.
Re:A software change allowed FTX to use client money by XajniN on Wednesday December 14, 2022 @07:25PM (#33993086)
What about the laws against helping or enabling criminal activities? There is no need to mention software specifically.
Re:A software change allowed FTX to use client money by galaxyLogic on Thursday December 15, 2022 @02:19AM (#33996304)
True, depends on the facts of the case.