The US Appeals Court has dismissed a legal challenge filed by crypto advocacy group Coin Center regarding sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash.
Court's Decision
On Thursday, the appellate court granted the request to vacate a lower court ruling and remand the case with instructions to dismiss as part of a joint filing with Coin Center and the US Treasury. This essentially concludes Coin Center's legal challenge against the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Sanctions Against Tornado Cash
In 2022, OFAC added several wallet addresses connected to Tornado Cash to its list of sanctioned individuals. Coin Center filed a lawsuit claiming that the Treasury Department "exceeded its statutory authority" in imposing these sanctions while other lawsuits were also filed by interested parties.
Legal Consequences for Tornado Cash Developers
The appellate ruling comes ahead of a scheduled appearance by Roman Storm, one of the co-founders of Tornado Cash, in a criminal trial in New York for charges related to money laundering and violating US sanctions. Meanwhile, another co-founder, Alexey Pertsev, has been convicted of money laundering in the Netherlands.
Therefore, the Appeals Court's decision wraps up the legal battle involving Coin Center and raises questions about the legal ramifications for the Tornado Cash developers facing charges.
