Roman Storm asks for $1.5M lifeline as Tornado Cash trial presses on

Key Points

1. Roman Storm requested another $1.5 million in a July 26 X post to cover escalating legal expenses, noting his team is working tirelessly.

2. The crypto community has donated over $3.9 million to Storm's legal defense, with the Ethereum Foundation contributing $750,000.

3. Storm's trial could set a precedent for criminalizing open-source software, as prosecutors allege he conspired to launder money through Tornado Cash.

4. Storm's defense argues Tornado Cash is a decentralized protocol, not a business, and cites 2019 FinCEN guidance supporting free speech protections.

5. Tornado Cash's other co-creators, Alexey Pertsev and Roman Semenov, have also faced legal issues, with Pertsev convicted and Semenov remaining at large.