The Solana Policy Institute, a prominent crypto lobbying organization, announced a donation of $500,000 to support the legal defense initiative for Tornado Cash developers, Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev.
Funding for Developers' Defense
The Solana Policy Institute has announced a donation of $500,000 to support the legal defense of Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev, who are facing legal issues related to allegations of facilitating money laundering. This initiative was shared in a post on their X account.
Legal Issues and Charges
Roman Storm was found guilty in Manhattan of operating an illegal money transmitting business and faces up to five years in federal prison. Alexey Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering in the Netherlands and received a sentence exceeding five years.
Attitude towards Decentralized Software
In light of the legal actions against Tornado Cash developers, Miller Whitehouse-Levine, CEO of Solana Policy Institute, stated that such prosecutions set a chilling precedent for the software development industry. He noted that if the government can prosecute developers for creating neutral tools, it fundamentally changes developers' risk calculus. However, a senior DOJ official indicated that they would no longer target developers of 'truly decentralized' software that avoids user fund custody.
The ongoing situation regarding the charges against Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev highlights the current challenges and controversies in the field of decentralized software, while the crypto community continues to urge legislative changes.
