Roman Storm, the co-founder of Tornado Cash, is facing difficulties as his trial approaches on July 14. He reports challenges in securing his defense and the refusal of the Department of Justice to recognize his expert witnesses.
Department of Justice Statement
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has rejected five out of six of Storm's proposed expert witnesses, stating that their testimonies are not relevant to the case. Among these was blockchain expert Matthew Edman, whose participation has been limited. The DOJ outlined deficiencies in the expert selection and criticized their potential testimonies as irrelevant or misleading.
> "There are multiple deficiencies in the proposed testimony, including that they are inappropriate subjects for expert testimony, lack a reliable methodology or basis in facts and data, or are irrelevant, unfairly prejudicial, and confusing to the jury."
Community Support
Despite sanctions against Tornado Cash, support for Roman Storm is growing. He has called for assistance in creating a legal fund, which many donors have responded to. The Ethereum Foundation pledged $500K from its treasury and raised an additional $750K from the wider crypto community.
Defense Team Requests Extension
Storm's legal team has requested a two-day extension to respond to the DOJ’s motion to block their expert witnesses. They argue that it will not delay the case, but the DOJ is opposing this request, even though it had asked for a similar extension if needed. Storm still faces several charges, including money laundering, although the DOJ recently dropped charges related to operating an unlicensed money transmitter.
The challenges Roman Storm faces in court highlight the importance of expert support for defense and raise questions about fair trial procedures as the cryptocurrency market and blockchain technology become increasingly regulated.
