Solana Policy Institute Commits $500 to Defend Tornado Cash
- Solana Policy Institute donates $500 in legal support
- Storm and Pertsev's Defense Exposes Debate on Software and Crime
- Cryptocurrency industry pushes for legal protection for programmers
The Solana Policy Institute (SPI) announced a $500.000 donation to fund the legal defense of Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev, developers linked to Tornado Cash. Both were convicted of crimes related to the use of the cryptocurrency mixer and now face lengthy prison sentences.
Pertsev had already appealed his May 2024 conviction. Storm, meanwhile, was found guilty earlier this month of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. According to court records from August 11, he is expected to file post-trial motions to overturn the ruling.
Miller Whitehouse-Levine, CEO of the Solana Policy Institute, highlighted the severity of the cases in an official publication.
These lawsuits continue to set a frightening precedent that threatens the software development industry. If the government can prosecute developers for creating neutral tools that others misuse, it fundamentally changes developers' risk calculus. Why would programmers create innovative software if they could face criminal charges?
stated.
Pertsev was sentenced to 64 months in prison in a Dutch court for allegedly facilitating $1,2 billion in money laundering operations between 2019 and 2022. Storm was tried in New York on similar charges, but the jury failed to reach a consensus on the money laundering and international sanctions offenses.
In the United States, the official stance on developer liability has been shifting since the Trump administration. Last week, Matthew J. Galeotti, acting deputy attorney general of the Department of Justice, declared that "writing code" is not a crime, signaling a possible shift in legal understanding of decentralized software.
Whitehouse-Levine said the SPI will closely monitor the practical application of this vision.
“Until then, we will continue to support Storm and Pertsev and appreciate the efforts of everyone in the cryptocurrency industry who advocates for them,”
said.
In addition to financial support, the Solana Policy Institute signed a joint letter with more than 100 cryptocurrency industry entities, urging lawmakers to create specific protections for developers as the digital asset regulatory framework is discussed globally.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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