Tornado Cash Developer’s Legal Fight Hits Critical Point

The legal struggle of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev has reached a critical point as he seeks new funding to continue his defense.

Pertsev, who has been detained for two years, faces a significant challenge against well-resourced government prosecutors. His support team has announced that his funds are depleted and highlighted an urgent need for between $750,000 and $1 million to cover ongoing legal costs.

The crypto community has mobilized to support Pertsev and his co-developer, Roman Storm, who are both facing serious charges including money laundering and sanctions violations.

1/ Defend Alexey Pertsev

It has been exactly 2 years since @alex_pertsev‘s arrest and he has run out of funds to defend our right to privacy and to publish code. It’s time to take a stand with Alexey and fight for what’s right. https://t.co/McVJHfXNXW

— Free Pertsev & Storm (@FreeAlexeyRoman) August 10, 2024

JusticeDAO, a group formed to aid their legal battle, has raised over 654 ETH (around $2.3 million) through a Juicebox fundraiser. Additionally, another 70 ETH was collected, with detailed records showing that $1.39 million was spent on legal fees between December 2023 and May 2024.

Pertsev remains in custody, having been denied bail, and his legal team is preparing to appeal his conviction for laundering $1.2 billion through Tornado Cash. The conviction, handed down by the ‘s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in May, follows a previous denial of bail in November 2023 due to concerns about flight risk.

Despite Pertsev’s argument that he should not be responsible for the illegal use of Tornado Cash, the court maintained that he could have taken further steps to prevent misuse of the protocol.