Roman Storm's defense is planning to seek a mistrial after a government witness failed to establish direct ties to Tornado Cash.
Discussion on the Mistrial Request
According to Inner City Press, Storm's lawyers raised the issue before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla on Monday. This development followed testimony from government witness Hanfeng Lin, who stated she lost nearly $250,000 in a crypto scam and was informed that some of her stolen funds had passed through Tornado Cash.
Witness Testimony and its Contestation
Storm's lawyer, David Patton, disputed Lin's claim, stating that their research did not support any link between her funds and the mixer. He added that the team would confer with Storm about the possibility of moving for a mistrial due to the lack of evidence tying her transactions to the protocol.
Charges Against Roman Storm
Storm is facing charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions, and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Tornado Cash laundered over $1 billion, including funds from North Korea's Lazarus Group, and accuses Storm of allowing illicit use of the service without controls.
The trial against Roman Storm continues to evolve, and a potential granting of the defense's mistrial request may lead to new developments. Issues surrounding financial privacy and software remain key topics of discussion.
