Tornado Cash Co-Founder Storm to Be Tried as Judge Refuses to Be Dismissed

Co-founder of Tornado Cash Roman Storm to stand trial after US federal court judge rejects request to dismiss charges. The US government accused Storm of establishing a crypto mixing platform, facilitating money laundering, and other charges.

Following the dismissal, Storm’s trial will begin on December 2 in New York. If convicted of all charges at trial, the co-founder could face up to 45 years in prison.

Storm Will Be Tried as Judge Rejects Request to Dismiss Charges

Roman Storm, lead developer and co-founder of Tornado Cash, He will be tried for the agreements he made with popular people crypto mixing platform.

The move came after a US federal court judge rejected a request to dismiss the charges. Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the Southern District of New York denied Storm’s motion to dismiss via a telephone conference.

The US government has charged the developer for its role in the popular crypto mixing platform. Other charges against him include money laundering, US sanctions evasion and I run an unregistered money transfer company.

Judge Failla said Storm’s claims that he was facing charges merely for writing code were unacceptable to him. He noted that Tornado Cash’s operations are different from other money transfer and financial services companies.

In addition, the judge reiterated that control is not the only requirement for the detection of crime. Other intentions are applicable factors to consider.

Failla said: “While computer coding is meaningful and protected when used to direct a computer to perform functions, it is not protected as protected speech.”

Once again, he rejected the developer’s arguments that the First Amendment protected his work, and Distribution of Tornado Cash as freedom of expression. He noted that the First Amendment does not define the functional capacity of code as speech.

The judge also ruled that the federal government’s anti-money laundering activities completely unrelated to the obstruction of freedom of expression.

Failla also rescinded Storm’s argument that Tornado Cash is a neutral tool. The judge cited other cases that have labeled crypto mixing platforms as unregistered money transmitters.

Additionally, the judge called Tornado Cash an “unaltruistic venture” focused on profits. He noted that the Department of Justice accused the platform of taking nearly $1 million from a VC firm to get a share of the returns.

Following Judge Failla’s decision, Storm’s trial will begin on December 2 in New York. If convicted, the developer could face up to 45 years in prison.

Some crypto personalities reacted to the latest situation Court decision for Storm. Jake Chervinsky, Variant Fund’s chief legal officerHe said the decision was “an attack on the freedom of software developers” globally.

He believes the judge’s decision will make history as a distortion of the law and a mockery of justice. Similarly, Amanda Tuminelli, legal head of the DeFi Education Fund, said: pointed out the wrong decision towards the developers.

He argued that developers should not take into account the illegal actions of third parties using open source software. Tuminelli once again argued that individuals and companies must be accountable and responsible for misusing platforms or tools for illegal activities.

In this context, Tornado Cash is a crypto mixing platform that increases users’ privacy in crypto transactions. But the platform has become an easy gateway for criminals like North Korea’s infamous Lazarus Group to cover their tracks.