Tornado Cash Developer Alleges DOJ Mishandled Key Evidence Ahead of Trial

Roman Storm, co-founder of the sanctioned cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash, has accused federal prosecutors of mishandling critical evidence in his upcoming criminal trial. The case hinges on a Telegram message referencing the $600 million Axie Infinity exploit, which prosecutors initially attributed to Storm's co-developer Alexey Pertsev.

Defense attorneys revealed the message was actually written by a former CoinDesk reporter and forwarded by Pertsev. This discrepancy emerged just days before Storm faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and sanctions violations related to Tornado Cash's alleged facilitation of over $1 billion in illicit transactions.

The evidentiary chain is under scrutiny, particularly regarding data extracted from Pertsev's phone following his arrest in the Netherlands. The Department of Justice continues its pursuit of federal charges against Storm after dropping an unlicensed money transmission charge.