Roman Storm, co-founder of the cryptocurrency mixing service Tornado Cash, is facing charges of money laundering and operating as an unlicensed money transmitter. The trial will commence on July 14 at a Manhattan Federal Court.
Charges Against Roman Storm
Storm is accused of conspiring to launder money and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. According to US authorities, Tornado Cash has been used to launder over $1 billion in illicit funds, allowing users to obscure the link between senders and receivers.
Support from the Ethereum Foundation
The Ethereum Foundation has voiced support for Storm, stating on its X account that "privacy is normal and writing code is not a crime." They also announced plans to financially support his defense by matching community donations up to $750,000. The organization views the charges as unfounded and emphasizes the importance of privacy-enabling technologies.
Impact of Hackers on Storm's Case
Recently, a hacker who stole $23 million from Bittrue is reportedly starting to launder the stolen funds through Tornado Cash, sending $30 million to anonymize them. This development may complicate Storm's case, as authorities might interpret the hacker's actions as evidence that the privacy-focused service facilitates criminal activities.
The trial of Roman Storm raises significant questions about the right to privacy in the cryptocurrency sector. While the Ethereum Foundation defends the technology, law enforcement agencies continue their efforts to combat the use of such services for money laundering.
