Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, has donated 50 ETH (roughly $170,000) to assist the authorized protection of Roman Storm, a Tornado Cash developer.
The donation, confirmed by Storm on Dec. 31, marks one other important gesture by Buterin in defense of privacy and open-source growth throughout the crypto house.
Storm expressed heartfelt appreciation for Buterin’s contribution whereas acknowledging the Ethereum co-founder’s ongoing assist throughout a difficult time. He wrote:
“Immense gratitude to Vitalik Buterin for his beneficiant donation to my authorized protection fund. Your unwavering assist and management by instance proceed to encourage us all. Thanks for standing with me throughout this difficult time.”
Storm additionally shared an replace on the progress of his authorized protection fund, which has to this point raised $640,061—33% of the $2 million goal.
Storm is scheduled to face trial within the US on April 14 over allegations of cash laundering and sanctions violations via the crypto mixing platform Twister Money.
Authorized efforts
Storm’s donation announcement follows his December movement to dismiss the criminal charges in opposition to him.
His authorized staff argued {that a} latest court docket ruling questioning the US Treasury’s authority to sanction Twister Money’s immutable sensible contracts undermines the case in opposition to him.
Based on Storm’s legal professionals, Twister Money’s sensible contracts function autonomously with out particular person management. They emphasised that this lack of oversight negates claims that Storm knowingly violated the Worldwide Emergency Financial Powers Act (IEEPA).
The protection additional argued that the federal government’s case misrepresents Twister Money’s decentralized nature. Autonomous sensible contracts course of transactions independently, making it not possible to attribute their actions to Storm.
They contend that this lack of direct management removes the intent and information required to justify cash laundering fees or unauthorized cash transmission.
In the meantime, the case has drawn important group response, with Greg Lang, the founding father of Rivet, saying:
“Creating and publishing open supply privateness instruments is protected speech—not an act in furtherance of any legal conspiracy that makes use of the software program.”