all accusations are "false" because the legal system is involuntary.
but to answer your question: were they not also running and providing a service, beyond merely authoring code?
Discussion
Is running and providing a service to others illegal?
by "illegal", do you mean the State will put you in jail for it? definitionally, yes, in this case.
but now we're allowing that they didn't "just write code", I notice. which was my original point.
Why are you trying to distinguish that point? Samourai Wallet did a lot more than just write code, they hosted a node, they hosted a coordinator, they hosted a blockchain analysis platform, they published several research articles, they published several instructional videos, they gave presentations at conferences, they donated $50k to Tor, they were the executive producer of the 3D printed gun documentary Death Athletic, and they ran a social media account. They did quite a lot.
The only think they are going to prison for however, is because they knew a criminal /could/ use their code. That's it. They are going to prison because of that code. So what is this point you're grasping at straws to make?