Odaily News Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm responded to the lawsuit against him in a post on X, saying: “I was sued for writing open source code that enables private crypto transactions in a completely non-custodial manner. This prosecution represents a terrible conviction of privacy.
The charges against me threaten to criminalize software development itself. If successful, the impact could extend far beyond the crypto industry, affecting every software developer. I face up to 45 years in prison for charges including operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, conspiracy to launder money, and evading sanctions.” Storm’s trial is scheduled for April 14, 2025.
"This indictment threatens to criminalize software development itself," said Storm's legal counsel, Keri Axel. Storm echoed that sentiment, saying the charges against him could deter others from developing software and innovating in various industries.
Romanian lawyer Storm believes that Tornado Cash is a tool, every tool has potential uses, and like many other software platforms, the developers cannot be sued for someone abusing the tool.
Yesterday, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin posted on the X platform that no one is left behind. After Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht was released, Tornado Cash team members Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm will be the next.