Ethereum Dev Freed After Turkey Detention Over Privacy Research
Federico Carrone, a privacy-focused Ethereum core developer, has been released after a 24-hour detention in Turkey over alleged involvement with an Ethereum privacy protocol. Turkish authorities accused Carrone of “helping others misuse Ethereum” in connection with research on mixers like Tornado Cash. Carrone insists the work was academic, citing a January 2022 paper that assessed user privacy on Ethereum and Tornado Cash. Support from crypto peers across the UAE, UK, US, Europe, Argentina and even the Catholic Church helped secure his release. Solana ecosystem members also intervened with local contacts. Although now back in Europe, Carrone’s case remains open, with his Turkish legal team continuing to build a defense. He has pledged to return to Turkey to clear his name if necessary. In response to his ordeal, Carrone donated 500,000 ETH to fund Roman Storm’s legal defense, underscoring community support for open-source privacy tools. This incident adds to regulatory scrutiny risks facing crypto developers and could influence innovation around privacy protocols.
Neutral
This news is likely neutral for markets. While it underscores regulatory risks for Ethereum privacy protocols and may dampen sentiment around related projects, Carrone’s safe release and community backing mitigate immediate panic. Historical cases—such as Tornado Cash co-founders’ arrests—show limited lasting price impact on ETH, suggesting short-term volatility but no sustained bearish trend. Long-term, ongoing legal clarity may benefit ecosystem stability and innovation.