Roman Storm’s Defense Exposes “Serious Errors” in Prosecution’s Case as High-Stakes Trial Begins

Defense attorneys for Roman Storm tore into the DOJ’s case on day one—highlighting glaring legal missteps that could unravel the prosecution’s argument.

Subheader: A Legal House of Cards?

The defense team wasted no time poking holes in the government’s narrative, calling out flawed interpretations of financial regulations—because nothing says 'justice' like regulators playing catch-up with blockchain innovation.

Subheader: Crypto’s Recurring Regulatory Déjà Vu

Observers noted the familiar pattern: another crypto case where prosecutors seem to be writing the rulebook mid-trial. Meanwhile, Wall Street bankers still get slaps on the wrist for billion-dollar frauds—but hey, at least they filed the right paperwork.

Closing thought: If the prosecution’s case collapses, it’ll be more than a win for Storm—it’ll be another embarrassment for regulators stuck in the pre-Bitcoin era.

Serious Issues In Tornado Cash Case, Lawyers For Roman Storm Say

According to a late Friday court filing by Storm’s counsel, lawyers for Storm allege that the prosecution’s case against the high-profile developer contains “serious errors” and “factual inaccuracies” that purportedly “call into question the integrity of its intended presentation to the jury.”

Dear crypto Community & Privacy Advocates,

This is an urgent call: My trial begins July 14, and we’re facing a critical shortfall. I need to raise $500K in the next few days and $1.5M within a couple of weeks to sustain our fight – covering escalating legal fees, expert… https://t.co/AImotqvJVD

Storm’s lawyers claim that key Telegram messages from alleged co-conspirator Alex Pertsev’s phone, which the prosecution plans to present in court, are “cherry-picked” and “missing information identifying the author of messages that are forwarded.”

“It appears the Telegram messages that were extracted are not accurate,” the defense states in the July 12 court document. “The fact that they are plainly missing critical information undermines their reliability.”

Tornado Cash Developer Begs For Contributions As Trial Begins

News of the court filing comes as the trial against Storm begins in the Manhattan Federal Courthouse on July 14, on charges of money laundering, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, and sanctions violations for his role at the crypto mixer.

In a July 12 X post, Storm called on his followers to support his case in an “urgent” plea to bolster contributions.

“I need to raise $500K in the next few days and $1.5M within a couple of weeks to sustain our fight—covering escalating legal fees, expert witnesses, and research as the case extends beyond the initial 2-week projection,” Storm wrote.

“My team is working nonstop to defend code as free speech, protect software development, and push back against government overreach that threatens us all,” he added.

If convicted, Storm faces a maximum sentence of 45 years behind bars for charges connected to the crypto company, though the judge and federal sentencing guidelines will determine just exactly how long he could get.