Roman Storm, one of the Tornado Cash founders, is accused of conspiracy to launder money, among other things. Tornado Cash’s defensive strategy questioned the culpability of its coder after they lost control of Tornado Cash, despite the fact that the claimed illegal behavior occurred on the ground. Storm’s lawyer argues that coding is a kind of expression protected by the First Amendment’s freedom of speech.
The defense motion challenges the charges, claiming that the software is not a company offering money transmission services because users retain control and there are no costs. It calls into question the concept of control through a conspiracy after the 2020 release, as well as if parties are maligning Storm.
The case is one of the most visible in the DEFI arena since it has garnered significant public attention, and $1.5 million has been raised for the defense fund. The question of whether a person will be held accountable for such neglect determines the existing legal standards and their possible impact on additional decentralized finance ventures.