However, the fact that they haven't been sanctioned after over 5 years in business is puzzling
They are honest and reputable mixer existing over 5 years which mean it must be honeypot?
That's not what I was inferring. It's just a curious observation.
Not all accept Monero, and it doesn't come with no other tradeoffs. Plus, I don't find one reason why users shouldn't have the freedom to choose either of these two options.
You do have the freedom to choose either option -- nobody said you didn't.
I'm saying people exceptionally concerned about blockchain privacy should consider using Monero, or at least passing their BTC funds through it to break blockchain links instead of mixers. This can be done in a few different ways. Of course the privacy can always be undone by the future actions of its users, just as it can for users of ChipMixer or any other mixer.
For example, both
Maybe both Blender.io and Tornado Cash were sanctioned because the developers hadn't taken the proper measures regarding their traceability. I read that Tornado Cash developer, Alexey Pertsev, was arrested. To be arrested, I understand that he hadn't been working on TC very privately. The person who runs ChipMixer is entirely unknown as far as anyone can tell.
This has nothing to do with it. First of all, they never identified the owner of Blender.io. They've sanctioned lots of anonymous entities in the past, including most of (what they know about) the Lazarus Group. Furthermore, the creator of Tornado Cash didn't necessarily think or know he was doing anything illegal when he created it. He shouldn't be in jail IMO.