It’s time to show support for the developers behind Tornado Cash. Developers Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm, find themselves at the center of legal scrutiny, facing allegations of money laundering and sanctions violations. The legal defense fund, initiated to support their case, has exceeded $350,000, gaining notable backing from Edward Snowden, the renowned former NSA whistleblower.
The arrests of Roman Storm and Alex Pertsev are considered a direct attack on the open-source development space and may have devastating consequences for developers who write and publish code. This is why we need to act NOW to protect our right to code.
— DNIR Flash News 🔥🔥 **Original:* (@cnir_bayarea) January 24, 2024
Roman Storm, a dual U.S. and Russian citizen, currently under house arrest in Washington State, awaits trial in 2024. The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Storm with money laundering and sanctions violations in August 2023. Despite maintaining his innocence, Storm faces a legal battle that could reshape his future. Meanwhile, Roman Semenov, another developer and co-founder, also faces charges but has yet to be arrested.
The DOJ alleges that over $1 billion in cryptocurrency flowed through Tornado Cash’s mixing service, designed to obfuscate wallet addresses and provide anonymity to both senders and receivers. Pertsev, another key figure, has been in custody in The Netherlands since 2023.
If you can help, please help. Privacy is not a crime. https://t.co/R4vauNLRB4
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 23, 2024
Facing an uncertain future, Roman Storm took to social media, stating, “2024 is the year that will define the rest of my life. Honestly, I’m scared. But also hopeful that this community cares with a passion. Please donate towards my legal defense.”
Edward Snowden echoed Storm’s plea, emphasizing that “Privacy is not a crime,” as he rallied support for the developers facing legal challenges in the crypto space. The substantial contributions to the legal defense fund signify a united front within the crypto community, raising questions about the intersection of privacy, legality, and the future of decentralized finance.
