Ethereum Foundation's joint executive director Wang Xiaowei posted on the X platform, announcing an additional donation of $500,000 to the legal defense fund for Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, bringing the foundation's total support for this case to at least $1.25 million.
Ethereum Foundation Increases Funding
Roman Storm was convicted by a Manhattan jury of "conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transfer business" for Tornado Cash's alleged assistance in laundering over $1 billion in illegal funds, potentially facing up to five years in prison.
The Ethereum Foundation's latest injection continues the commitment of a $750,000 matching donation from last year, aimed at ensuring Storm can hire expert witnesses and maintain appeal resources. Wang Xiaowei stated:
We stand with the community to ensure open-source developers have a fair chance to defend themselves.
The foundation's action is seen as a substantial endorsement of open-source privacy tools and developers' rights. According to Cointelegraph's report, donations from the crypto community have also poured in, raising millions of dollars for Storm.
Bankless: Will Solana Take a Stance?
Bankless co-founder David Hoffman replied on X:
We would be glad to see the Solana community stand up against the US Department of Justice, protecting smart contract developers before the Money Transmission Act, for the benefit of all crypto.
This implies criticism of the Solana Foundation for not initiating donations or support, and not directly using foundation funds to donate to Storm.
Verdict Not Yet Fully Decided
The jury was divided on more serious charges of "conspiracy to launder money" and "conspiracy to violate financial sanctions," leading to a hung jury, with the prosecution reserving the right to retry. The case focuses on: When open-source code is misused, how much responsibility should developers bear? The prosecution argues that Storm knew and chose not to modify the code to prevent illegal activities; Storm claims he merely provided a tool and was not involved in fund flows.
For every user involved in decentralized finance, the Storm case reminds us that regulators need more clarity between encouraging blockchain innovation and protecting financial order. The subsequent sentencing and potential retrial will significantly impact global DeFi and privacy technology investments, as well as developers' prospects.
