The legal battle involving Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev has reached a crucial stage as he urgently seeks additional funding to continue his defense for privacy rights and the freedom to publish code.
Pertsev, who was arrested two years ago and is now engaged in a high-stakes legal dispute, faces significant challenges against well-resourced government forces pursuing his prosecution. According to a support account for Pertsev and his co-developer Roman Storm, Pertsev has exhausted his financial resources. “It’s time to take a stand with Alexey and fight for what’s right,” the account stated, emphasizing the need for between $750,000 and $1 million to cover ongoing legal expenses.
The crypto community has shown strong support for Pertsev and Storm, both of whom have been charged with money laundering, sanctions violations, and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business through the Tornado Cash crypto mixing service. This support led to the creation of JusticeDAO, an advocacy group dedicated to raising funds for the developers’ legal defenses. By June 19, the group had raised over 654 Ether (approximately $2.3 million at that time) through a fundraiser titled “Free Alexey & Roman” on the decentralized platform Juicebox.
Additionally, another 70 Ether was raised via the JusticeDAO page. Juicebox has maintained transparency by releasing a publicly available spreadsheet detailing the expenses of the “Free Alexey & Roman” fund, which shows that $1.39 million was spent on legal fees between December 2023 and May 2024.
Despite these efforts, the financial burden of Pertsev’s legal battle remains substantial. He continues to be incarcerated after being denied bail, and his legal team is preparing to appeal the charges of money laundering. Complicating matters, Pertsev’s request to access a computer to prepare for his appeal was denied, highlighting the difficulties he faces in mounting an effective defense.
Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering by the ‘s-Hertogenbosch Court of Appeal in the Netherlands on May 14, receiving a sentence of five years and four months in prison. The court ruled that Pertsev laundered $1.2 billion worth of illicit assets through Tornado Cash. This verdict followed a November 2023 ruling in which a Dutch court denied Pertsev’s request for release under surveillance, citing concerns that he posed a flight risk.
During his March trial, Pertsev argued that he should not be held responsible for the actions of individuals who used the Tornado Cash protocol for illegal activities. However, the court rejected this argument, stating that Pertsev and his co-founders could have taken additional measures to prevent the protocol’s criminal misuse.
