Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has donated $113,678 worth of Ethereum (ETH) to the legal fund of Tornado Cash developers Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm.
Tornado Cash Controversy
Tornado Cash is a cryptocurrency mixing service that allows users to make anonymous transactions. In 2022, the US sanctioned the platform, claiming it was used for money laundering and posed a national security risk.
Legal Charges
Pertsev was sentenced to 64 months in prison in the Netherlands for laundering billions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Storm was arrested in the US last year and charged with helping North Korean hackers launder funds.
Legal Defense Fund
Storm has appealed for donations to fund his legal defense. The fund on the Juicebox platform has raised over $2.25 million so far. The developers’ legal expenses are estimated to be between $90,000 and $100,000 per month.
Buterin’s Support
Buterin’s donation is a significant contribution to the legal battle. It demonstrates his support for the developers and the principles of privacy and anonymity in cryptocurrency.
