Vitalik Buterin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, has made a generous donation of 50 ETH (equivalent to around $170,000) to support Roman Storm, a developer of Tornado Cash, in his legal defense. This significant contribution from Buterin highlights his commitment to privacy and open-source development within the cryptocurrency space.
In a statement on December 31, Storm expressed his deep gratitude for Buterin’s donation, recognizing the Ethereum co-founder’s unwavering support during a challenging time. Storm conveyed his appreciation, stating, “Immense gratitude to Vitalik Buterin for his generous donation to my legal defense fund. Your unwavering support and leadership by example continue to inspire us all. Thank you for standing with me during this challenging time.”
The donation from Buterin adds to the progress of Storm’s legal defense fund, which has raised $640,061 so far, reaching 33% of its $2 million target. Storm is set to go on trial in the United States on April 14, facing allegations of money laundering and sanctions violations related to Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixing platform.
Storm’s announcement of Buterin’s donation comes after his legal team filed a motion in December to dismiss the criminal charges against him. The defense argued that a recent court ruling questioning the US Treasury’s authority to sanction Tornado Cash’s immutable smart contracts undermines the case against Storm. They emphasized that the autonomous nature of Tornado Cash’s smart contracts, which operate independently without individual control, negates claims that Storm knowingly violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Furthermore, Storm’s defense team highlighted the decentralized nature of Tornado Cash, stating that autonomous smart contracts process transactions independently, making it impossible to attribute their activities to Storm. They argued that this lack of direct control removes the intent and knowledge required to justify money laundering charges or unauthorized money transmission.
The case has sparked a strong reaction within the community, with Greg Lang, the founder of Rivet, stating, “Creating and publishing open-source privacy tools is protected speech—not an act in furtherance of any criminal conspiracy that uses the software.”
The ongoing legal proceedings and Buterin’s donation underscore the importance of privacy and security in the cryptocurrency industry, as developers navigate regulatory challenges while striving to uphold principles of decentralization and user privacy.