Edward Snowden Urges Crypto Community to Fund Tornado Cash Pioneer’s Legal Defense
Former CIA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden on Tuesday called for financial aid to support Tornado Cash founder Roman Storm’s legal defense.
Storm and his co-founder Semenov were arrested in Aug. 2023 for alleged sanctions violations in the US through their crypto mixing service, accused of laundering over $1b.
“My legal team and I are going to put forth a strong defense at trial, not just for my family’s sake, but for the future of software developers and financial privacy,” Storm said in a video posted to X on Monday.
“Folks, I need your help. Whether you’re a passionate developer, involved with Web3, or just care about software and privacy, this legal battle will affect you. So, please help contribute to my legal defense, because this case will set a major precedent for years to come,” he added.
Storm, who holds both US and Russian citizenship, was released on bail shortly after his detention on a $2 million bond secured against his Washington state residence.
Snowden has asked supporters to help, saying: ” Privacy is not a crime.”
If you can help, please help. Privacy is not a crime. https://t.co/R4vauNLRB4
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 23, 2024
Storm, together with Semenov and developer Alexey Pertsev, founded Tornado Cash in 2019.
The mixer, still operational as of now, offers users a way to hide their transaction history, effectively protecting their financial privacy from outside observation.
Tornado Cash accomplishes this by masking the trails of transactions, providing a shield against any form of surveillance and tracking.
In 2022, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash for alleged exploitation by North Korean hackers in money laundering
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