Federal Judge Rules on Roman Storm’s Prosecution
The federal judge overseeing Roman Storm’s prosecution made a ruling during a 30-minute hearing on Friday morning. Judge Katherine Polk Failla declined to order the Department of Justice to review its records for any potentially missed materials that could assist Tornado Cash developer, Roman Storm. She stated that there were no Brady violation concerns with the Department of Justice’s conversations with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding the need for mixers to register as money transmitters.
If any information had been withheld by the prosecutors, it could have had implications for the case moving forward. However, Judge Failla stated, “I’m not going to require a further review based on the representations made that there’s no additional material of this type, and based on my views that I don’t believe the material was exculpatory.”
During the hearing, Storm’s defense attorneys raised concerns about when the prosecutors learned about the FinCEN conversation. The defense argued that the prosecutors planned to charge a conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitter, questioning who Tornado Cash was supposed to be licensed with.
Thane Rehn, a prosecutor who worked on a similar case against Sam Bankman-Fried, clarified that their team would not argue that Tornado Cash needed to secure a license. He stated, “The word ‘license’ doesn’t apply here, and the jury won’t be instructed on licensing issues. What we intend to prove at trial is that the defendant knew they were transmitting funds derived from criminals.”
As the trial is set to begin in less than two months, the judge inquired if the prosecutors planned to change any theories or charges in the upcoming weeks, expressing concerns about fairness to the defense. Despite the ongoing developments, the Department of Justice remains committed to pursuing the case against Roman Storm.
Conclusion
The ruling by Judge Katherine Polk Failla in Roman Storm’s prosecution case sheds light on the ongoing legal proceedings. With key discussions surrounding the Department of Justice’s interactions with FinCEN and the charges against Tornado Cash developer, Roman Storm, the case continues to evolve as it heads towards trial. Stay tuned for further updates on this case.
Read more: DOJ Will Still Pursue Roman Storm Case Despite Blanche Memo, Prosecutors Say