DOJ Seeks October 2026 Retrial for Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm

Federal prosecutors have requested a Manhattan court to schedule a retrial for Roman Storm, the developer behind Tornado Cash, in October 2026. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) aims to retry Storm on charges of money laundering and sanctions evasion, which carry a combined maximum sentence of 40 years.

The move follows a partial verdict in Storm's first trial last August, where he was convicted of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Jurors, however, deadlocked on the two additional counts. Prosecutors have proposed October 5 or 12, 2026, for the retrial, citing defense availability.

In a related development, the U.S. Treasury acknowledged to Congress that cryptocurrency mixers like Tornado Cash can serve legitimate financial privacy needs. This admission contrasts with the DOJ's aggressive stance against Storm and raises questions about the regulatory balance between privacy and enforcement.

Storm's legal team has filed a Rule 29 motion to acquit, with arguments scheduled for April 9. The case continues to draw attention as a bellwether for how U.S. authorities treat cryptocurrency privacy tools and their developers.