US prosecutors alleged on July 15 that the Lazarus Group, linked to North Korea, exploited Tornado Cash after pilfering $600 million from the Ronin Bridge back in 2022. The claim surfaced during the opening of Roman Storm’s trial in Manhattan.
Storm, a developer of the crypto privacy tool Tornado Cash, faces accusations of enabling the sanctioned group to conceal illicit funds using his platform, despite reportedly knowing its potential for misuse.
In his initial statement, Assistant US Attorney Kevin Mosley described Tornado Cash as a “massive laundering machine for illicit funds,” asserting that Storm opted to maintain the platform’s operations even with awareness of its exploitation by criminal entities.
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However, Storm’s defense team countered that he committed no unlawful acts. His attorney, Keri Axel, informed the jury that Tornado Cash was a broadly accessible privacy resource, open for anyone’s use, and Storm lacked control over its users’ actions. She remarked:
Numerous items available worldwide offer both legitimate applications and potential for misuse. Consider Signal, or even a common hammer, which could be used for forced entry and theft. The prosecution cannot demonstrate a premeditated agreement for illegal activities.
The prosecution lodged two objections during Axel’s address when she cited instances concerning user safety, but the judge permitted her to continue.
Storm anticipates the trial extending up to one month, with a verdict potentially arriving before mid-August. On July 14th, he publicly requested urgent financial aid to support his legal representation. Want to learn more? Find the complete details here.
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