Tornado Cash Trial Sparks Legal Battle — What It Means for Crypto’s Future

Roman Storm, co-founder of crypto mixing platform Tornado Cash, is mounting a vigorous defense against U.S. government charges, with his legal team alleging prosecutorial overreach and evidentiary flaws. The case, set for trial in Manhattan Federal Court on July 14, could establish critical precedents for privacy tools in decentralized finance.

Storm's attorneys filed a July 12 motion challenging the prosecution's use of selectively presented Telegram messages from alleged co-conspirator Alexey Pertsev. The defense contends these communications lack proper attribution and context, potentially misleading jurors in a case involving money laundering conspiracy and sanctions violations.

The defendant's public fundraising appeal underscores the high-stakes nature of the proceedings. Storm claims to need $2 million in immediate legal funding, signaling a protracted battle that could shape regulatory approaches to cryptocurrency anonymizing services.