Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has contributed an additional 100 ETH, valued at approximately $240,000, to the legal defense fund of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm. This is Buterin’s third donation to the fund, underscoring his continued support for Storm, who faces multiple charges related to the development of the Tornado Cash privacy protocol.
Roman Storm, one of the developers behind Tornado Cash, has been charged in the United States with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating sanctions. He has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that Tornado Cash is merely open-source software that developers do not control. The ongoing legal battle has sparked significant support from the broader crypto community, including high-profile figures like Buterin.
Buterin’s latest donation comes shortly after a major legal development on September 26, 2024, when U.S. Judge Katherine Failla denied Storm’s motion to dismiss the case. Judge Failla stated that the charges were not without merit, allowing the trial to move forward. This decision has further fueled the crypto community’s support for Storm’s defense.
The case is being prosecuted in the United States, where Storm could face up to 45 years in prison if convicted on all counts. The legal battle has implications beyond U.S. borders, as it raises critical questions about the legal responsibility of open-source software developers globally.
Buterin’s continued support highlights his stance on protecting open-source innovation and defending developers who may be unfairly targeted for creating privacy-focused software. The case has become a rallying point for the crypto community, many of whom believe that creating and distributing code should not be criminalized, regardless of how it is later used by others.
Buterin’s donation is part of a larger fundraising effort. So far, over 327 ETH (around $785,000) has been contributed to Storm’s defense fund by 148 different donors. Additionally, a group called JusticeDAO has collected more than 654 ETH ($1.5 million) for the legal defense of Tornado Cash developers. Despite sanctions and legal action, Tornado Cash has continued to see strong usage, with deposits reaching $1.9 billion in the first half of 2024 alone.
This case could set a precedent for how the legal system treats open-source development and digital privacy tools in the future.
