Roman Storm, a developer linked to Tornado Cash, is seeking additional financial assistance, requesting $1.5 million to cover his ongoing legal defense.
On July 26th, Storm shared a message on X, appealing for immediate support, stating he needed “$1.5mm again.” He elaborated in a subsequent post that his legal team has been working tirelessly, leading to increased expenses.
The cryptocurrency community has so far contributed over $3.9 million towards Storm’s legal defense fund. According to his website, more than $3.2 million has been allocated to his Legal Defense Fund, which is about 65% towards reaching a new $5 million goal.
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United States prosecutors are alleging that Storm facilitated the movement of illicit funds for businesses, violated sanctions regulations, and operated an unauthorized money transmission service through Tornado Cash.
Storm’s defense asserts that Tornado Cash is a decentralized tool, uncontrollable after its initial deployment. They cite a 2019 communication from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), suggesting privacy software developers aren’t obligated to register as money transmitters.
The defense is also arguing that the act of writing and sharing computer code constitutes free speech, which is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
According to information on Storm’s website, the trial is anticipated to conclude around August 11.
In a recent development, Storm’s legal representatives informed the presiding judge that they might seek a mistrial due to a witness they believe lacks relevant connections to the case. To learn more about this angle, you can explore the complete story here.
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