The U.S. Department of Justice will proceed with its criminal case against Roman Storm, co-founder of crypto mixer Tornado Cash, focusing on charges of money laundering and sanctions evasion.
While the DOJ has dropped an initial charge related to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, it alleges Storm knowingly facilitated the movement of illicit funds.
Storm’s trial is scheduled for July 14, 2025, in Manhattan. The DOJ’s decision reflects a recent policy shift that emphasizes targeting individuals misusing crypto tools rather than the platforms themselves.
Tornado Cash, previously sanctioned in 2022 for allegedly enabling $7 billion in illicit transactions, was quietly removed from the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list in 2023 after a court ruled that immutable smart contracts can’t be sanctioned as property.
Storm’s case could have lasting implications for crypto developers and the broader decentralized ecosystem, especially as it parallels the prosecution of fellow co-founder Alexey Pertsev, who was sentenced in the Netherlands last year.
Image Credit: Pixabay
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