Privacy in the Spotlight: Tornado Cash Dev Roman Storm’s Trial Reaches Climax with Fiery Closing Arguments
Blockchain privacy isn't just a feature—it's a battleground. As the trial of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm reaches its crescendo, the crypto world holds its breath. Here's why this case could redefine financial anonymity.
The stakes? Higher than a Bitcoin ATH
Prosecutors are painting Storm's code as a digital skeleton key for money launderers. Defense counters that privacy protocols are constitutionally protected speech—like publishing encryption math. Meanwhile, Wall Street bankers (who move more dirty money than all mixers combined) watch with popcorn-ready schadenfreude.
Code vs. The Man
The DOJ's novel legal theory—that writing privacy tools constitutes conspiracy—has developers sweating. If upheld, it could force Ethereum builders to implement KYC on every smart contract. Good luck maintaining decentralization then.
The verdict's ripple effect
A conviction would send shockwaves through GitHub. Expect privacy coin valuations to swing harder than a degenerate's portfolio during FOMC meetings. Meanwhile, compliance-obsessed CEXs are already drafting 'We told you so' press releases.
Final thought: When the feds chase privacy devs harder than they pursued Lehman execs, ask yourself—who's really protecting criminals?
“Nothing [Storm and his team] were doing was a panacea,” defense lawyer David Patton said, referring to Tornado Cash's transaction-anonymizing features. “If you're gonna have a privacy protocol, that's part of it.”
Federal prosecutors dismissed the defense's focus on privacy rights as a convenient “cover story,” however.
“The real money wasn’t in so-called ‘privacy’ for normal people,” Gianforti said. “It was in hiding dirty money for criminals.”
The closing arguments capped a nearly three-week-long case that included expert and witness testimonies from blockchain technology experts, hackers, and victims of scams, as well as a litany of private messages between Storm and his Tornado Cash co-founders.
The crypto community largely views the case as a referendum on coders’ rights.
A “guilty” verdict could set a precedent for holding software developers liable for the ways in which their software is used—an outcome Storm's supporters argue WOULD stifle innovation in the U.S.
Storm has pleaded not guilty to three charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit sanctions violations, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
He faces a maximum prison sentence of more than 40 years if convicted on all counts.
Twelve jurors went into deliberations early Thursday evening to mull over lawyers’ arguments and the trove of evidence presented at trial. But, just minutes after that process began, the group called it quits for the day.
The jury will reconvene on Thursday to work towards a verdict. Their decision may come as early as Thursday.
There is no time limit for jury deliberations in the U.S., and some juries have deliberated for several months before reaching a final verdict.
