The Solana Policy Institute has made a significant contribution of $500,000 to defend Tornado Cash developers Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev amid legal challenges.
Legal Pressure on Tornado Cash Founders
Roman Storm created Tornado Cash in 2019 alongside co-developers Alexey Pertsev and Roman Semenov, inspired by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s advocacy for enhanced crypto privacy tools. Pertsev was convicted of money laundering in the Netherlands in May 2024 and is currently appealing under electronic monitoring. Meanwhile, Semenov remains at large and is listed on the FBI's wanted list.
Regulators Consider Retrial for Tornado Cash Developer
Earlier this month, the United States Department of Justice started considering a retrial for Roman Storm after a partial verdict left two major charges unresolved. The jury could not reach a unanimous decision on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions against North Korea. Storm’s trial has been closely watched by the cryptocurrency industry and digital privacy advocates.
Crypto Community Rallies Support for Roman Storm
In July, Roman Storm issued an urgent appeal for financial support ahead of his high-stakes trial, seeking to raise $500,000. So far, his fundraising efforts have reached approximately $1.96 million, representing 57% of his $3.5 million goal. The Ethereum Foundation has also pledged $500,000 to support Storm's legal defense.
The donation from the Solana Policy Institute and the support from the crypto community highlight the importance of protecting developers in light of increasing regulatory and legal pressures, raising important discussions about open-source software and legal responsibility.
