The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that it will proceed with federal criminal charges against Roman Storm, the developer and co-founder of the crypto mixing service Tornado Cash. This decision comes despite some adjustments to the charges. The DOJ will continue with the charges related to money laundering and sanctions evasion, but it will drop one part involving accusations that Storm ran an unlicensed money transmitting business.
In a letter to federal court Judge Katherine Polk Failla, Jay Clayton, acting US Attorney for Manhattan, affirmed that the DOJ’s prosecution aligns with the policies outlined in the April 7, 2025 memo from the Deputy Attorney General.
The original charge against Storm for failing to comply with money transmitting registration requirements will be dismissed. However, the DOJ will press ahead with the allegation that Storm transmitted funds knowing they were linked to criminal activity. The DOJ’s decision to continue with this case contrasts with a recent shift in its approach towards crypto tools. The April 7 memo suggested a greater focus on pursuing individuals using crypto platforms for illegal activities, rather than prosecuting the platforms themselves.
Storm will face trial in a Manhattan federal courtroom on July 14, 2025. Prosecutors claim he used Tornado Cash to obscure crypto transaction origins and destinations, facilitating illicit transactions, money laundering, and evading US sanctions. Tornado Cash was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for its reported involvement in facilitating over $7 billion in illicit transactions.
In March 2023, the US Treasury quietly removed Tornado Cash from the sanctions list following a federal appeals court ruling that immutable smart contracts cannot be sanctioned as property. This case follows legal action against Storm’s co-developer, Alexey Pertsev, who was sentenced to over five years in prison by a Dutch court last year. He was released under electronic monitoring in February pending an appeal.
The DOJ’s decision to continue legal action against Roman Storm signals a potential policy shift under the more crypto-friendly Trump administration. Despite this, the DOJ has indicated no intent to drop the charges against Storm. The legal battle over Tornado Cash intensifies as Storm’s upcoming trial approaches.
This article was originally published on Cryptonews and has been updated with new information regarding the DOJ’s decision to proceed with criminal charges against Roman Storm.