Tornado Cash Founder Dey Find $3.5M as Trial Dey Happen

Roman Storm, wey be co-founder of Tornado Cash, don start one legal defense fundraiser as him trial begin for Manhattan federal court on July 14. Storm dey face charge dem like conspiracy to do money laundering and breach U.S. sanctions after U.S. Treasury’s OFAC sanction Tornado Cash crypto mixer in August 2022 for allowing North Korea’s Lazarus Group move $455 million. Him defense team don file motion say prosecutors dey use cherry-picked, unverifiable Telegram messages. Trial wey first suppose last two weeks, now e fit run three to four weeks. Storm don raise $2.12 million of $3.5 million target wey e need for legal fees, expert witnesses, and research, and e dey find another $500,000 in few days. Big supporters na Golem Foundation wey give 50 ETH (~$150,000), Meta Cartel DAO and Paradigm wey commit $1.25 million. The campaign dey highlight beta risks for open-source code liability, crypto privacy tool, plus possible regulatory overreach.