Ethereum Organization Gifts $1.25 Million to Legal Aid for Tornado Cash Developers
The Ethereum Foundation Steps Up for Tornado Cash Dev
In a supportive move, the Ethereum Foundation has pledged $1.25 million towards the legal defense of Alexey Pertsev, a key developer behind the privacy-centric platform, Tornado Cash.
Keep privacy normal, coding is not a crime! 🔒 You can stand with Alexey by contributing directly: [Link]
Date: February 26, 2025
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, echoed the message on his comment.
Privacy is normal, coding is not a crime. 💻
Date: February 26, 2025
Back in May 2024, a Dutch court found Pertsev guilty of laundering an astounding $1.2 billion through Tornado Cash, resulting in a 64-month prison sentence. However, his pretrial detention was suspended on February 7, 2025, and he was released under electronic monitoring while awaiting his appeal decision.
On the American front, money laundering and sanctions violation charges have been leveled against Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, Tornado Cash co-founders. In a significant development earlier in 2025, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the OFAC sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash in 2022, sending the case back for reevaluation.
Advocacy groups like Coin Center and the DeFi Education Fund have backed Pertsev by filing an amicus brief in support of his appeal. They argue that such legal action may hinder innovation in the development of privacy-conscious technology, as it could imply developers are culpable for the way third parties employ their open-source code.
Pertsev, the headline developer in the case, has shown genuine appreciation for the Foundation's contribution.
Awesome news! I can now dedicate my full attention to preparing my appeal with this generous donation from the Ethereum Foundation. I am incredibly grateful for the support, and together, we'll fight for justice! 👥 [Link]
Date: February 26, 2025
As of June 2025, Pertsev continues to await the outcome of his appeal. His situation raises important questions regarding the accountability of developers for the use of their privacy-focused code by external parties. With the ongoing legal battle, it becomes increasingly important to monitor the implications for future developers in the crypto space. 👀
In the Ethereum community, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has supported Alexey Pertsev, a Tornado Cash developer, by echoing the statement, "Privacy is normal, coding is not a crime." This is following the Ethereum Foundation's pledge of $1.25 million towards Pertsev's legal defense, demonstrating a strong commitment to technology innovation, specifically privacy-centric platforms like Tornado Cash.
