If you go to a bank, rob it, and then hand the money to your friend for hiding, then your friend is an accessory. (Possession of Stolen Goods at the least)
Did he rob the bank? No. He may have just been at home, not involved in planning at all, you show up with $50,000, ask him to hide it and tell him it's stolen.
He was just used to transfer the goods, but he's still breaking the law.
Likewise laundering the stolen money is illegal, even though you didn't steal it.
Your scenarios are about knowingly transferring illegal goods. The Tor operator didn't know that illegal data was being transferred over his equipment. In the same way a webhoster isn't liable for the data his clients are hosting.
Did he rob the bank? No. He may have just been at home, not involved in planning at all, you show up with $50,000, ask him to hide it and tell him it's stolen.
He was just used to transfer the goods, but he's still breaking the law.
Likewise laundering the stolen money is illegal, even though you didn't steal it.