A US court has ruled that Roman Storm, co-founder of the cryptocurrency mixing service Tornado Cash, will face a full trial. This comes after the court rejected Storm’s attempt to dismiss charges filed against him by the US Department of Justice.
The Charges Against Storm
Storm and his fellow developer, Roman Semenov, are accused of creating and operating Tornado Cash, a platform that has been used by criminals, including the Lazarus Group, to launder over $1 billion. Tornado Cash works by mixing cryptocurrency transactions, making it difficult to trace the origin of funds.
Storm’s Defense Rejected
Storm argued that his actions were protected by the First Amendment, claiming that creating code is a form of free speech. However, the court rejected this argument, stating that the First Amendment does not protect the “functional capability” of code.
The court also ruled that Storm’s control over transactions on Tornado Cash is not a requirement to be considered a money-transmitting business.
Trial Scheduled for December
Storm is now scheduled to stand trial on December 2 in New York. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, operating an unregistered money-transmitting business, and violating the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. If convicted, he could face up to 45 years in prison.
What’s Next for Tornado Cash?
The trial of Roman Storm is a significant development in the ongoing legal battle against Tornado Cash. It remains to be seen how the case will ultimately unfold, but it could have major implications for the future of cryptocurrency mixing services.
