BREAKING: Tornado Cash Dev Roman Storm Convicted on Money Laundering Charges—Crypto Privacy on Trial
The crypto world just got another legal lightning rod. A jury has found Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm guilty of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business—a verdict that sends shockwaves through the privacy protocol ecosystem.
Privacy tech meets the long arm of the law
Storm’s conviction underscores regulators’ zero-tolerance stance on crypto mixing services. Prosecutors argued Tornado Cash’s architecture deliberately obscured transaction trails—while defense teams claimed it was mere code, not a financial service. The jury bought the former.
The precedent could freeze DeFi innovation
Legal experts warn this sets a dangerous precedent for holding developers accountable for how others use open-source tools. Meanwhile, Treasury officials are probably popping champagne—nothing makes bureaucrats happier than fresh case law to justify expanding their oversight budgets.
Storm faces sentencing later this year. Meanwhile, the crypto industry braces for the chilling effect—because nothing kills innovation faster than the threat of prison time. Except maybe a bear market.
