Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum co-founder, has announced support for Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, through the involvement of the Ethereum Foundation in his legal defense.
Support for Roman Storm
Vitalik Buterin confirmed on platform X that the Ethereum Foundation will match community donations to help cover Roman Storm's legal fees. This emphasizes the support of the Ethereum ecosystem for open-source developers.
Storm's Legal Issues
Roman Storm is facing criminal charges in the United States, including money laundering and sanctions violations related to Tornado Cash. This crypto privacy protocol came under fire after the U.S. government sanctioned it in 2022.
New Hope from Sanction Reversal
The situation changed in March 2025 when the U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on Tornado Cash. This decision has been positively received in the DeFi community and may influence the legal outcomes in Storm's case.
The Ethereum Foundation's backing of Roman Storm highlights the importance of protecting decentralization and open code. The outcome of this case could significantly impact the future of crypto developers.
